The Benefits of Early Decision and Early Action Programs

Early Decision Students make a binding commitment to a first- choice institution where, if admitted, they definitely will enroll. So, if you apply ED and are accepted, you must attend that college. The one exception is a student who applies for financial aid who was not offered an award that makes attendance possible.

Application deadline is usually Nov. 1 or Nov. 15, with admission decisions announced by Dec. 15th. Applicant & counselor are required to sign the Early Decision “pledge”- if admitted, the student will enroll. Reply date is usually in early January. Examples: Amherst, Columbia, Cornell, Northwestern, Washington University. Some colleges have Early Decision I & Early Decision II (Bowdoin, Carleton, Colgate, Dickinson, Hamilton, Skidmore).

Benefits of Early Decision Great way to “show the love” to an institution, by announcing that this is your first choice! If accepted, the student is now done – and already committed to their first choice school. If denied, or deferred, the student has time to make alternative plans by applying elsewhere.

Early Action Students apply to an institution of preference & receive a decision well in advance of the institution’s regular response date. Students who are admitted under Early Action are not obligated to accept the institution’s offer of admission until the regular reply date (May 1).

Application deadline is usually Nov. 1 or Nov. 15, with admission decisions announced by Dec. 15th. Reply date is extended until May 1. Examples: Boston College, Case Western Reserve Univ., Univ. of Chicago, Lawrence Univ., MIT, Notre Dame, SMU. Another category is Restrictive Early Action or Early Action Single Choice (Stanford, Yale).

Benefits of Early Action Greater flexibility than with Early Decision – a student can sometimes apply to more than one school in the Early Action round. No commitment for enrollment until May 1 Opportunity to consider multiple financial aid awards Students have the chance to “show the love” to a school with an early application.

Regular Decision Students submit an application to an institution by a specified date & receive a decision within a reasonable period of time, not later than early April.

Application deadlines vary greatly, ranging from January 1, to February 1, to late March. Reply date is May 1. Examples: Amherst, Boston University, Dartmouth, Duke, Harvard, Northwestern, Swarthmore -- all at January 1. Examples: DePauw, Goucher, Kalamazoo, Knox, Lewis & Clark, Puget Sound -- all at Feb. 1.

Examples: Austin College, Coe, Illinois Wesleyan, Ohio Wesleyan – all at March 1. Examples: Univ of Arizona, Univ of Missouri, Loyola University Chicago, UW-Superior – all at April 1.

Benefits of Regular Decision No restriction on the number of applications that can be submitted. Responses are received by colleges by late March, so a student can consider all of the options/possibilities. Many of the application forms/questions are the same (e.g. the Common Application).

Rolling admission The institution reviews applications as they are completed and makes admission decisions on a continuous basis – or rolling basis -- until the class is filled. The sooner your application is complete, the sooner it will be read and a decision is made.

No definitive application deadline, but sometimes the class is filled earlier one year than in another. Reply date (usually) is May 1. Priority deadlines may be very important - for example, at Univ. of Minnesota-Twin Cities, it’s December 15th. Examples: Indiana Univ., Iowa State, St. Cloud State, St. Scholastica, UW-Eau Claire.

Benefits of rolling admission It’s possible to hear back from the college in October or November – or even earlier. The application process is usually quite straightforward, without the requirement of recommendation letters.

A few important notes : Our priority in the college counseling program at Minnetonka High School – helping the student to find the right fit! College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won! Every student is encouraged to follow this rule: “You apply for admission to a college because you want to go there!”

The final word! The general rule about applying early: you should apply early if the school is the right choice for you. Phillip Trout College Counselor Minnetonka High School