I know that for Early Decision you can only apply to one school and that should be your dream school because if they accept you, you are committed to attend. But I see that several schools on our potential list do offer Early Action which I believe means you find out earlier if you are accepted but you are not committed to attend. Do people apply Early Action to all the schools on the list that have that option or is that bad form? If not, how many schools on the list should you do that for if it is an option at several schools. Do other schools know if you applied Early Action to another School? Does that look bad?
Also, what happens if you apply Early Action and get in but you are waiting for a regular decision from a preferred school. How long after Early Action decisions do you have to let them know or does it vary from school to school?
Yes, and you should apply early if you’re able to. Especially at public schools. Keep in mind though, that some non-binding early action programs are restricted or single choice programs - so check the rules.
Generally, one should apply Early Action (EA) to as many schools as one can, if the school offers a non-restricted EA. Some schools often fill up via EA, and many schools have a deadline around their EA deadline for any students who are interested in receiving scholarships. EA applicants are supposed to find out earlier if they are accepted, but there’s been a growing trend among some very popular universities to simply defer those applicants to the regular round. Regardless, however, one should still apply by the EA deadline, if possible.
The earlier the better. And at some schools or programs, if you don’t apply early action if offered, your chances of getting in are greatly diminished.
Now - if you are borderline grades and you want the decision to include your Fall grades, you might wait - but that’s a case by case thing.
Others decide to add a school to the list too when EA has passed -so that will naturally go later.
And then many don’t have an EA - either an ED / RD and some just one deadline. But on ones that don’t have an EA, they may have an earlier date than the RD deadline for scholarship consideration - like an Emory was by Nov 1 for scholarship consideration even though the RD deadline was January.
So make sure you understand all your dates for each school. Have them listed and sorted so you don’t miss any.
One school may be EA November 1 while another is October 15, etc.
Single Choice Early Action (SCEA) and Restrictive Early Action [REA) are offered by a small number of schools. If you apply under either of these, you cannot apply to any binding ED programs, and in most cases you can’t apply to other EA programs. It’s SINGLE choice! Only one.
There are some exceptions for applying to public universities, and to colleges with early deadliness for scholarships. But you need to read each SCEA and REA guideline at each college, because this varies.
But for simplification…it’s single early action…one school…but the admission is not a binding one and you will get a decision earlier than Regular Decision.
REA/SCEA are generally offered by highly selective schools. You’ll get a decision by December, like with the ED schools, which lets you decide where (and if) to apply RD.
OTOH, unrestricted EA decisions at many schools, particularly the most popular public schools, don’t come out until mid to late Jan (after RD deadlines).
A very small number. Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Caltech being the most notable examples. Each has its own set of if exceptions to the restrictions
Regardless the term used, the restrictions at these schools can be different, so read the fine print if you are thinking of applying to any of these schools.
I honestly don’t need your major or list of schools to say…apply early action wherever you can…and rolling admissions as early as applications are available for submission.
The only exceptions would be if you plan to apply to any of the schools listed above that are SINGLE choice or RESTRICTIVE early action.
Otherwise…If the colleges on your application list offer early action…do it.
I will say….both of my kids did this. They also realized that since they were completing applications they might as well do all of their regular decision ones too. They had almost all of their applications completed before October 15. Each added a reach school after that.
Also, if you apply early action or rolling, check the deadlines for financial aid as some EA schools have a priority deadline for early action applicants and you don’t want to miss that!
I’m saying that there are priority deadlines for financial aid for EA applicants at some colleges…and these are earlier than the ones for regular decision.
These ARE the early deadlines for EA applicants. At some schools…so do check.
We almost missed one!
There are some colleges that have an early application deadline for consideration for merit scholarships. Check that as well. But that could be different than the priority deadline for EA applicants.
Thank you for all of your responses. The parents on here seem to know everything about the college process and I’ve got to tell you I feel really uninformed, by comparison, to the point where I feel like I may be doing my child a disservice. When I applied to college almost 40 years ago (I am an older parent), I don’t remember the application process having so many facets. Is there one resource, like a book or something, that tells you everything you need to know, from soup to nuts, about the college application process? The one good thing is my teen and I have started kind of early I think (Teen just finished sophomore year and is a rising junior). Anyway thank you again for all the information.