<p>I'm pretty sure I understand the difference between E Action and E Admission, but, what exactly is the downside to applying Early ACTION if it's not binding?</p>
<p>by early admission do you mean early decision? </p>
<p>to answer your question there really is no downside to applying early action except for the fact that you have to get your applications in early and can’t take the SAT past november. Other than that it’s great because you find out early, while everyone else is stressed out and anxious for months.</p>
<p>I agree that there is not much downside if any. I would apply EA to all of the schools on your list that have it. If you get in any of them, then you can concentrate on the harder reach schools unless FA is a factor then you might want to still apply to lesser schools. Also, it is a great feedback before RD. You can adjust your list based on where you get in. You can add more safety or match schools after you fail to get in your EA schools. Potentially, a lot less stress except that there are not a lot of schools that have this feature.</p>
<p>One shouldn’t do EA if one feels that their 1st semester Senior year grades will be essential to the overall file (i.e. bouncing up an aggregate 3 years of a lesser GPA)</p>
<p>The only real downside is if you feel your app isn’t quite ready yet. Just remember if you do a SCEA school you can only do it for EA and no others.</p>
<p>EA admittance can be tougher than regular pool so you better be prepared for deferrals…</p>
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<p>That hasn’t been the usual finding by scholars of the admission process. </p>
<p>Below are NACAC definitions for all the different kinds of admission cycles: </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nacacnet.org/ABOUTNACAC/POLICIES/Documents/SPGP.pdf[/url]”>http://www.nacacnet.org/ABOUTNACAC/POLICIES/Documents/SPGP.pdf</a> </p>
<p>Non-Restrictive Application Plans: All of these plans allow students to wait until May 1 to confirm enrollment.</p>
<p>• Regular Decision is the application process in which a student submits an application to an institution by a specified date and receives a decision within a reasonable and clearly stated period of time. A student may apply to other institutions without restriction. </p>
<p>• Rolling Admission is the application process in which an institution reviews applications as they are completed and renders admission decisions to students throughout the admission cycle. A student may apply to other institutions without restriction. </p>
<p>• Early Action (EA) is the application process in which students apply to an institution of preference and receive a decision well in advance of the institution’s regular response date. Students who are admitted under Early Action are not obligated to accept the institution’s offer of admission or to submit a deposit prior to May 1. Under non-restrictive Early Action, a student may apply to other colleges. Restrictive Application Plans: These are plans that allow institutions to limit students from applying to other early plans. </p>
<p>• Early Decision (ED) is the application process in which students make a commitment to a first-choice institution where, if admitted, they definitely will enroll. While pursuing admission under an Early Decision plan, students may apply to other institutions, but may have only one Early Decision application pending at any time. Should a student who applies for financial aid not be offered an award that makes attendance possible, the student may decline the offer of admission and be released from the Early Decision commitment. The institution must notify the applicant of the decision within a reasonable and clearly stated period of time after the Early Decision deadline. Usually, a nonrefundable deposit must be made well in advance of May 1. The institution will respond to an application for financial aid at or near the time of an offer of admission. </p>
<p>Institutions with Early Decision plans may restrict students from applying to other early plans. Institutions will clearly articulate their specific policies in their Early Decision agreement. </p>
<p>• Restrictive Early Action (REA) is the application process in which students make application to an institution of preference and receive a decision well in advance of the institution’s regular response date. Institutions with Restrictive Early Action plans place restrictions on student applications to other early plans. Institutions will clearly articulate these restrictions in their Early Action policies and agreements with students. Students who are admitted under Restrictive Early Action are not obligated to accept the institution’s offer of admission or to submit a deposit prior to May 1.</p>