I just applied early action. The university website says I will get the decision back at latest December 20, but having sent my application prior to the deadline, will I receive the decision sooner? And if so, how much sooner?
nope
Bump bump you guys my question kind of dovetails with this~~ if you send in an Rd app earlier is it possible this shows interest??
No. I think the only time when sending in an app earlier helps is with rolling admissions.
With early action some colleges, such as Yale, begin reviewing and making internal decisons about admission as completed applications are received (a completed application is one for which all required materials, including offical test scores and recommendations have been received). Thus, those that have completed applications early may have a slight advantage because decisons are being made before most of the early application pool is known. Others are more “crunch” oriented, not making any decisons until mid-Nov or after.
Most EA colleges have a set date for releasing decisions, typically a mid-Dec date or a little after that, but some, like Michigan, with a Dec 24 date, actually start sending out decisions in early Dec .
Sending an application earlier than an RD deadline is generally not perceived as displaying any more interest than those who apply later, even if the college is one of those that considers interest in the college as a factor (public universities in general and almost all of your higher ranked privates do not consider demonstrated interest as a factor)
No. But admissions officers do say that sending an application earlier rather than later is highly preferable. If you send it late (say, a day before), you:
- Show little interest for the school as you put off the application
- May/may not be considered when most seats are filled.
The first depends on the admissions officer’s mentality, the second on school policy.