<p>One college I'm applying to EA states that I have to let them know by January 15th wether or not I'm agreeing to come there. (Deposit, etc.) I thought you always had until May 1st to decide. Are there guidlines colleges have to follow, or do they just pick their own deadline?</p>
<p>Which school is that? I’ve never heard of such a situation. Now some schools want a housing deposit to get first dibs on a room, but that does not obligate you to go there, it just ensures a better room choice.</p>
<p>It’s Robert E. Cook Honors College at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. I’ve never heard of any school ever doing that, either, so it took me by suprise…</p>
<p>NACAC has rules, </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nacacnet.org/NR/rdonlyres/9A4F9961-8991-455D-89B4-AE3B9AF2EFE8/0/SPGP.pdf[/url]”>http://www.nacacnet.org/NR/rdonlyres/9A4F9961-8991-455D-89B4-AE3B9AF2EFE8/0/SPGP.pdf</a></p>
<p>Non-Restrictive Application Plans: All of these plans allow students to wait until May 1 to confirm enrollment.</p>
<p>Regular Decision is the application process in which a student submits an application to an institution by a specified date and receives a decision within a reasonable and clearly stated period of time. A student may apply to other institutions without restriction.</p>
<p>Rolling Admission is the application process in which an institution reviews applications as they are completed and renders admission decisions to students throughout the admission cycle. A student may apply to other institutions without restriction.</p>
<p>Early Action (EA) is the application process in which students apply to an Statement of Principles of Good Practice Interpretations of Mandatory Practices institution of preference and 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 or to submit a deposit prior to May 1. Under non-restrictive Early Action, a student may apply to other colleges.</p>
<p>Restrictive Application Plans: These are plans that allow institutions to limit students from applying to other early plans.</p>
<p>Early Decision (ED) is the application process in which students make a commitment to a first-choice institution where, if admitted, they definitely will enroll. While pursuing admission under an Early Decision plan, students may apply to other institutions, but may have only one Early Decision application pending at any time. Should a student who applies for financial aid not be offered an award that makes attendance possible, the student may decline the offer of admission and be released from the Early Decision commitment. The institution must notify the applicant of the decision within a reasonable and clearly stated period of time after the Early Decision deadline. Usually, a nonrefundable deposit must be made well in advance of May 1. The institution will respond to an application for financial aid at or near the time of an offer of admission.</p>
<p>Institutions with Early Decision plans may restrict students from applying to other early plans. Institutions will clearly articulate their specific policies in their Early Decision agreement.</p>
<p>Restrictive Early Action (REA) is the application process in which students make application to an institution of preference and receive a decision well in advance of the institution’s regular response date. Institutions with Restrictive Early Action plans place restrictions on student applications to other early plans. Institutions will clearly articulate these restrictions in their Early Action policies and agreements with students. Students who are admitted under Restrictive Early Action are not obligated to accept the institution’s offer of admission or to submit a deposit prior to May 1.</p>
<p>Call their bluff. Tell them you’ll tell NACAC what they’re doing if they don’t give you until May 1st to decide where to attend.</p>
<p>It doesn’t make sense since it says that financial aid for early action students is not given out until February. I thinks someone there is not coordinating the deadlines. How can someone accept without knowing what kind of aid is being offered?</p>
<p>Thank you so much, tokenadult! And cptofthehouse, I know they don’t give much fin aid, since tuition is really cheap. </p>
<p>From the application instructions:</p>
<p>“EARLY ACTION
If you have decided that the Robert E. Cook Honors College is your first choice, and you plan to enroll if accepted, you may apply for admission under this plan and recieve a decision much earlier in the year than usual. Early Action Applications must be submitted by November 15th. You will be notified of our decision by January 1. To accept early admission, you will be required to submit the Honors College acceptance contract and a non-refundable deposit of $150 by January 15th.”</p>
<p>It almost sounds like an ED plan, but not quite…and it doesn’t include an ED contract on the online app.</p>
<p>Is it possible that Indiana University of Pennsylvania (which the honors college is part of) isn’t an NACAC?</p>
<p>Most accredited colleges all around the country should be members of NACAC. Anyway, you can hold out for colleges that follow NACAC rules, and disregard those that that don’t.</p>