My dream school is BC. I want to go pre-med and major in biology/health sciences. Are standards lower for early action or regular decision? If you get deferred or denied for early action, do you have to re-apply for regular decision? I went through a few threads and couldn’t easily find the answer. thank you
Speaking from experience…
Early Action is far more difficult than Regular Decision. I know some who waited until Regular Decision to apply, primarily because they did not think their applications were strong enough to apply EA, and they didn’t want to risk getting rejected in a selection pool that is already really selective.
The thing you should know about EA (from what I’ve heard when talking with alums and current students, among others) is that they typically take from this pool athletes, legacy students, and the very BEST students who apply for it. I know two girls who got admitted EA with outstanding marks and fine extracurriculars (though they ultimately chose Notre Dame instead).
I applied EA my senior year of high school, and was deferred. I later received my acceptance letter in March, no reapplication necessary. If and when you are deferred EA, the school automatically puts you into the consideration pool for regular decision. You don’t have to worry about a thing (except making sure that your grades are top notch, and that you stand out when they look at you again…showing some interest wouldn’t hurt either, now that I recall my own experience).
So overall, yes EA is considerably more selective than RD, and I wouldn’t recommend it unless you really have a strong academic record, good extracurriculars, and good test scores. If you’re in doubt, apply RD, and give yourself time. BC is a very selective school, and it’s not worth it to risk your chances applying into an even more selective pool of applicants.
Hope that helped, and good luck! Are you applying as a freshman this year?
If you are denied EA, you are done. You cannot reapply RD (in the same year).
I just stalked your other thread, and your numbers look good, so you should definitely consider EA. however the key will be acing the supplemental essay.
Good luck,
Thank you very much
@bluebayou Thank you for stalking me. I think I’m going to do EA. I don’t think it could hurt. I just received my first quarter grades. Do you know how I could submit those so they can still see I’m working hard?
From BC’s website: “Test scores for the middle 50% of enrolled students in the Class of 2021 ranged from 1310 to 1450 on the SAT, and 31 to 33 on the ACT. The median SAT was 1390, and the median ACT was 32”
Even super-scored, your SAT is in the mid 50% range. I would consider retaking it and applying RD. I think that test score may hurt you in the EA round.
@suzy100 Since superscored it’s 1430 and on the high side of the 50%, do you think there’s harm in doing EA? My thought is give it a shot and worst case they defer me to RD. Or do you think there’s a chance I could get denied and no chance at RD.
Just have your GC send them in.
Any thoughts on the likelihood of a student who otherwise would have a decent chance of being accepted RD being denied EA rather than deferred? More than a third of EA applicants were deferred. In our family’s case, it seems like a good idea for a legacy to apply EA and I’m not seeing a downside, but I’m new at this.
I calculated that with the big chunk of EA-deferred applicants added to the RD round, the RD acceptance rate was 27% among the total RD group.
Approx 1/3 are accepted, 1/3 denied, 1/3 deferred.
Someone who has a high likelihood of acceptance RD can only help themsleves in EA.
I ended up getting deferred. I had a good first semester, so I’m hopeful that will only help. Also added an extra letter of recommendation. Crossing my fingers. April 1st is sooooo long away…
Addressing the comment on “you are done” if you are Early Action and do not get in. Some schools indicate they will keep you on for reg. admissions consideration. You have to check with each school individually. You can see an example, not sure what school ut, from the thread listed below:
UniGirl2017
Registered User
Posts: 32
Junior Member
10-17-2017 at 6:18 pm
@BCBoundMaybe certainly knocks that suggestion out of the conversation.
You are not dead if deferred ea
You are not dead if deferred ea and then wl rd.
You not dead if you hear nothing until July.
And then on the last extended wl group
.He hung in there and was rewarded in the end. Ask him.
He’s the real expert on the process now.
need to work on those critical reading skills, Lex. 
i clearly posted that if you are denied, you are done. BC (and every other school?) will not reconsider an early application in the Regular round that is rejected in the early round. A rejection is just that. (One could always take a gap year and apply the following year.)
OTOH, BC (and others) will consider a Deferred early application in the Regular round.
Just to update this thread for Class of 2022, 31% were accepted EA and by my calculations, the RD rate was only around 22%, assuming a third of EA apps were deferred to RD. This also agrees with Mahoney’s comment in the Jan 17th article that about 20% of those deferred would be accepted RD.
Slight correction. According to this post, BC announced in a letter to counselors that 4300 were deferred from EA to RD. That would bring the RD rate for Class of 2022 to 20.8% http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/21037780/#Comment_21037780