<p>If you don't get accepted in December for the October deadline, would you get deferred to regular decision and have to wait until March? Or would you get notified in January with the second deadline notifications? The reason I'm asking is I'm retaking the SAT in November, and I was wondering if it would be wiser to apply in November so my application would be to the best of its ability score wise by then? Thanks!</p>
<p>It’s an “Early Action” deadline not an “Early Decision” deadline. An early decision deadline means that if accepted you MUST go to that school. NC State doesn’t have that. My son was accepted early action to engineering last year meaning he knew by mid-December that he was admitted. He did not have to make a decision until May 1. There were other kids at his high school who applied that same early action first round and they were deferred. They were deferred until the regular admission pool was considered. They did not hear whether they were admitted or rejected or waitlisted until April. Getting into the school of engineering is pretty competitive. My son knew a student who was deferred round 1 early action and then rejected during the regular admission period. If you believe that your application would be stronger to wait until the second early action round then I would do that. Good Luck.</p>