<p>Hi! I'm a high school sophomore, and I am planning on applying to MIT in a few years. I don't know very much about some of the admission systems, even though I have read everything I can get my hands on about it! So, my question is, what are the benefits to EA? Are there any downsides? Does it make more sense to apply EA, or just wait and apply RD? Any advice appreciated - thanks!</p>
<p>Apply EA if everything is in order in time and you aren’t applying to any programs with restrictive early admissions periods, such as SCEA or ED.</p>
<p>The best possible scenario for your senior year is to gain admission to your first-choice school EA. Then you can relax, keep up your grades, and enjoy the rest of your senior year. Just imagine – you could throw away all the other supplemental college applications and be done with the process. Perhaps a bonfire party with a few friends? In my opinion, every college should offer this.</p>
<p>The next-best possible scenario is to be deferred from EA. Although disappointing, this allows you several months to strengthen your application for the RD round; it also provides you early feedback that gives you time to think about ways to strengthen your applications to other institutions. </p>
<p>The third scenario – rejection from your first-choice school EA – can be a blessing in disguise, even though it’s painful. MIT only rejects EA applicants that it considers not sufficiently competitive to gain serious consideration in the RD round. If this is the outcome of your application, it will be useful information and will allow you not only to focus on improving your application, but also to seek institutions likely to be a better match.</p>
<p>I applied EA and it was nice to get the most important app out of the way earlier (and that way you can spend Sept/Oct on the more important apps instead of working on all of them at once). The only thing that is not really all that true about EA/ED is that if you get in you don’t have to work on other apps. Since EA/ED results come out around mid-Dec and RD deadlines are typically the first or second of January, you essentially have to have all the RD apps ready in case you do not get in/are deferred. Was I 100% done with my apps when I got in? No, but I was probably 85-90% done. It was still nice not to have to finish the last 10%, submit them, and then worry for the next 4 months like many others though :D</p>
<p>What are the disadvantages of Early Action? Besides having to finish all the applications earlier…</p>
<p>None as far as I can tell…</p>
<p>AKiss20: I agree that applicants that get in EA might need to work on other apps, but for a different reason. Being a procrastinator, I did all my RD apps the day of. 
It should be noted though that financial aid decisions come out well after the RD deadlines, so if FA is an important factor, it might be necessary to file more applications.</p>
<p>Thank you for your advice!</p>