<p>Hopefully this clears it up: [Early</a> Decision versus Action Admissions](<a href=“http://www.admissionsconsultants.com/college/earlydecision.asp]Early”>Early Action and Early Decision Admissions Explained)</p>
<p>Another option for you to look into private schools that (while not top 25, if that’s what your mother cares about for costs) give a ton of scholarships out. I don’t know what they give out now, but I know Tulane (which does offer ChemE) offered me 35k (would’ve left me at 15k a year, but I didn’t want to go to college down the street from my high school). And that was pure merit aid.</p>
<p>Dig around here for other schools that offer a ton of scholarship $$ - posting in [Financial</a> Aid & Scholarships - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/]Financial”>Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums) might bring more results than the engineering board.</p>