Confusion about ED and EA?

Applying to College
1

Just thinking ahead to next year.

I’m very confused as to how ED and EA works, I know that ED is binding and EA isn’t but how many can you apply to.

I’ve heard people say only one school if ED. Some tell me one ED and the rest EA. I’m just hearing a lot of conflicting things.

Also how does the private and public school thing work. I’ve heard one private and the rest public, only one of either, what’s true?

I’m interesting in applying to Columbia Univeristy ED and University of Virginia and Georgetown EA but am not sure if I can do this.

2

You are correct in that you can have only one open ED application as it is binding. Some schools have an ED2 option in case the ED1 option does not lead to an acceptance, but that’s a more in-depth explanation.

How many EA schools you can apply to depends upon the rules of each college. Some, like Harvard and Stanford, only allow you to apply EA to their college (with some exceptions).

There is no blanket rule; each college sets its own. So there are permutations where you can apply EA to several public and private colleges.

No, you can’t. Georgetown does not let you apply ED elsewhere if you are applying EA with them.
https://uadmissions.georgetown.edu/firstyear/early-action

Bottom line, each college should have restrictions listed on their website.

3

Georgetown EA does not want students to apply ED anywhere:
https://uadmissions.georgetown.edu/firstyear/early-action

You should only apply ED if you will have no regrets committing to that school beforehand (even if some other school admits you with a full ride), including knowing that the ED school will be affordable.

4

The bottom line is you need to take the time to read the details of the admission program (ex. ED, EA, SCEA, rolling etc.) you apply under at every college and determine what is an isn’t allowable under those particular college’s plans.