I want to get all of my applications over with at the beginning of my senior year, but I can not seem to find out whether I am applying early action or regular decision. How do I tell the difference? I don´t want to accidentally be binded to a bunch of colleges. Thanks
On the common application, you will be given a choice of how to apply.
If you choose early decision, you will have to sign a special agreement, and so will your parents and your guidance counselor. It is nearly impossible to apply early decision “by accident,” so do not worry!
Early decision is binding and comes with the special agreement all must sign.
Early action is not binding; you just get to hear an answer sooner, but you still have until 5/1 to decide.
Early decision is binding unless you apply for financial aid and sufficient aid is not offered (then you say thanks but no thanks and apply elsewhere, but run the Net Price Calculator to see if there’s a realistic chance of enough aid).
Make sure only to do early decision if you can afford it! Don’t want to get locked in if the price is unfeasible.
^^^^ The one “out” from an ED agreement is if the finances don’t work.
But it is super stressful to go through that. Just a comment on your original post — if you do decide to apply ED someplace, you can only apply ED to ONE school. Read each school’s website carefully to understand their options — the rules and options are not the same everywhere. You might see RD, ED (aka ED I), ED II, EA, and/or SCEA. And some schools admit by rolling admissions, and some wait and notify all applicants on the same date.
Then there’s the less stressful senior year after successful ED’s single application.