Early Action vs Early Decision: What’s the Difference?
Everything you need to know about applying to college early.
Learn how to make the right choice between applying early action or early decision for college.
How early action and early decision compare
The pros and cons of each
Early decision (ED) and restrictive early action (REA)
What about Early Decision II?
What to consider
Frequently asked questions
Applying to undergrad early can give you advantages in the college admissions cycle, but it comes with downsides—namely, a time crunch to make huge decisions.
One of the most important questions to answer is whether you should apply to college through early action (EA) and early decision (ED) programs. It’s vital you understand the pros and cons of applying early so that you can make the best choice for you and your family.
In this guide, we will discuss how you should approach this decision, and we’ll compare early action vs. early decision head-to-head across four categories:
Deadlines and decision dates
Obligations to attend
Admission chances
Financial aid
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How early action and early decision compare
Early action (EA) generally refers to the less binding method of applying early to college. In contrast, early decision (ED) is the stricter method that ties you to one school through the early application process.
Unfortunately, several schools use these terms interchangeably without clarification. However, generally speaking, early action usually means you can apply early to multiple schools, while early decision typically means you can only apply early to one school, and you have to accept any offer they make.
Let’s look at specific differences below.
Deadlines and decision dates
Both early action and early decision offer the potential for you to complete your college application process ahead of time—even before the holidays!—and put an end to the associated stress. The application deadlines for EA and ED are generally very similar.
Early action programs allow your child to apply to colleges by an early deadline—most commonly November 1 or November 15—and receive admissions decisions in December or January, long before regular decision applicants.
Similarly, early decision programs allow your child to apply to college early—also usually in November—and receive an admission decision before regular decision applicants.
However, if your ACT/SAT score or GPA does not meet or exceed the admissions profile for colleges on your EA and ED list, it would make sense for you to hold off on applying early.
Instead, you can devote more attention to improving your test scores and grades before the regular admissions deadline(s). That way, you can apply via regular decision with your best foot forward.
Obligations to attend
Here’s the biggest difference between EA and ED: the binding obligation to attend.
Early action decisions are non-binding, meaning you will not be obligated to enroll in the school(s) you’re accepted to. Therefore, you can apply to as many schools through early action as you would like.
On the other hand, early decision programs are binding, meaning you will be obligated to attend the school you’re accepted to as long as the financial aid package is considered adequate by you and your family.
Because of ED’s binding nature, students are only allowed to apply to one school through early decision. In most cases, you’re not even allowed to apply through regular decision or early action to other schools until your ED application has been rejected.
You may simultaneously apply to early action and regular decision programs. If you were allowed to apply through early decision as well as to other programs, you’d have to withdraw all other applications if you got into an early decision program.
Note: Some colleges offer single-choice early action programs, also called “restrictive early action,” which operate in the usual way that early action programs do, except for the fact that you cannot apply anywhere else via early action or early decision. In other words, they may be non-binding, but you can only apply to one.
Admission chances
Although EA and ED may both slightly increase your chances for admission compared to regular decision, ED gives you a better advantage than EA.
Generally speaking, early action programs do not significantly increase your odds of getting into colleges, especially at highly selective schools. They simply allow you to find out sooner whether or not you’ve gotten in. Moreover, if you’re not accepted early action, your application will likely get deferred to the regular decision pool and will be evaluated once more. The third possible outcome is that your application will be rejected outright.
Admission rates for early decision programs are moderately higher than those for early action and regular decision programs. By applying early decision, you’re demonstrating passion and interest in your top-choice college. And because the decision is binding, the school will be protecting its yield rate (i.e., the percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll there), which factors into college rankings.
Another possible reason for higher early decision admission rates is that early decision applicants often, on average, have stronger grades, standardized test scores, and overall applications relative to the regular decision pool. This may also apply to elite colleges that offer single-choice early action, such as Harvard, Princeton, and Yale.
(Suggested reading: Ivy League Acceptance Rates: What You're Up Against)
Financial aid
If you’re accepted to multiple schools via early action, you will have the opportunity to compare financial aid packages and make the decision that fits you and your family’s budget and goals.
Conversely, because early decision programs are binding, you will not be able to choose among other schools that may have offered more financial aid and, consequently, a lower net cost.
There is one well-known way to get released from the early decision obligation to attend. Specifically, if the net cost of the college is completely unaffordable for your family, you can ask the admissions office to release you from the obligation to attend there. Colleges are typically gracious about this.
However, financial aid should be considered when developing your college list, not just after you’ve been admitted. To get an estimate of how much it will cost you and your family to attend a particular college, you should calculate Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and use Net Price Calculators (NPC).
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Pros and cons of early action
The pros of early action include:
Early action is non-binding. I.e., you’re not obligated to enroll if you get an offer of admission.
You often receive admission decisions by mid-December. Therefore, you may end the college application process early and not have to complete additional applications with January deadlines.
You’re encouraged to front-load some work so you’re not completely swamped later, including over the holidays.
You can apply to multiple colleges through EA and make a decision on where to attend later.
You can compare and negotiate financial aid offers with more flexibility.
Your application can be deferred to the regular decision cycle if not accepted through EA.
The cons of EA consist of:
Not offering the same increased admission odds as early decision.
Not allowing you the opportunity to raise your ACT/SAT scores and GPA during the Fall semester of your senior year.
You have less time to write college essays and gather letters of recommendation, compared to regular decision.
Pros and cons of early decision
The pros of early decision are that:
You may benefit from increased admissions odds due to colleges’ push to maximize their yield rates—the percentage of admitted students who then choose to attend their school—because it increases their rankings.
If accepted, you will know by mid-December where you’ll be attending.
ED pushes you to begin working on your college application(s) earlier because you’ll have to put in your best effort from the start to get into your top-choice school.
Your application can be deferred to the regular decision pool if not accepted early.
The cons include:
Early decision is binding, meaning you’re obligated to enroll if accepted.
ED doesn’t allow you to choose among other schools that may have offered more financial aid and, therefore, a lower net cost.
You’ll have to apply with the ACT/SAT scores and GPA that you have achieved up to that point—no extra time to boost your standardized scores.
You have less time to write college essays and gather letters of recommendation, compared to regular decision.
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Early decision (ED) and Restrictive Early Action (REA)
Early decision and Restrictive Early Action (REA) are similar programs with key differences—depending on which school you’re talking about. Remember, some schools, unfortunately, use these “early” terms interchangeably.
Generally, REA is early decision except it’s non-binding. In other words, it’s just like non-restrictive early action except you can only apply once through REA.
Unless one of your options is a far reach school and you are highly unlikely to get in, there is no right or wrong answer. It’s more a question of your risk tolerance.
There are two schools of thought when deciding whether to go REA or ED:
The more conservative approach is for you to apply to the school that you’re more likely to get into, so as not to “waste” your one ED or REA opportunity. That way, you can have higher odds of getting into the ED/REA school. However, if you get into the ED/REA school, you might wonder “what could have been” at your true dream school.
The less conservative approach is to apply to your true dream school. That way, you can maximize your odds of getting into your top choice. However, if you end up not getting into your dream school, you might feel like you squandered your ED/REA opportunity.
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What about Early Decision II?
Some colleges offer a second early decision program called Early Decision II (ED II). This application option may help you if the ED I deadline is too early for your circumstances, or if you applied ED I and got rejected.
Early Decision II operates almost identically to Early Decision I, but while ED I deadlines typically fall on November 1, ED II deadlines usually land around January 1 or January 15.
You’ll receive an admissions decision in mid-February, giving you several weeks’ notice compared to regular decision applicants who typically hear back in late March or early April.
Like ED I, Early Decision II is a binding agreement. If you’re accepted through ED II, you're committing to attend that school and must withdraw all other pending applications.
The same financial aid considerations also apply, and if the financial aid package is simply unaffordable, your family can ask to be released from the binding commitment.
From the college's perspective, ED II allows them to fill more of their incoming class with committed students, which again protects their yield rate. Second, it gives admissions committees another opportunity to admit highly qualified students who might have applied ED I elsewhere or who needed more time to identify their top choice.
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Which option is right for you?
Here are some key questions that should help you decide which option is right for you (EA, ED, or regular decision):
Have you confidently identified a top-choice college that will meet your educational and experiential goals? Maybe ED is right for you.
Have you achieved the requisite GPA and ACT/SAT scores for the schools on your list? Check your ideal school’s average standardized test scores and GPA for accepted applicants. If you measure up, take advantage of EA or ED applications.
Have you thoroughly researched colleges—academically, socially, geographically, and financially? You may benefit from applying EA and ED.
Are you unsure whether the colleges on your list are a strong match for your academics, location, culture fit, and financial situation? Avoid EA and ED, and try for regular decision to widen your net.
Are you struggling to confidently identify your first-choice school? Don’t rely on ED; instead, go with EA or regular decision.
Do you not yet have the grades and test scores to get into the schools on your list? Go with regular decision, giving yourself time to retake the ACT/SAT or get your GPA up.
Are you applying early just to get the process over with, or because your friends are doing it? You should only do EA or ED because it’s right for you.
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Frequently asked questions
What is regular decision?
Regular decision is the typical college application process, as opposed to early action or early decision, which allows applicants to apply earlier and receive decisions earlier than regular decision.
The regular decision deadlines are later than EA and ED deadlines.
Should you apply early decision if you need financial aid?
Uncertain financial aid is one of the main reasons you should avoid early decision.
If you are concerned about getting enough scholarships and student loans, ED may leave you in a tough situation. If you’re offered early acceptance into a college you applied to through ED, you basically have to go, no matter how little financial aid they offer you.
What are the acceptance rates for early action, early decision, and regular decision?
There are no firm numbers on acceptance rates through early action and early decision programs. Even regular decision acceptance rates vary wildly by institution.
Early action slightly increases your chances of admission, while early decision moderately increases your odds. At most schools, early action and early decision can improve your rate of success by 8%-80%.
The advantage is lesser at the top-tier schools, and it’s most advantageous at liberal arts colleges and less competitive schools.
Can you apply to multiple schools with early action or early decision?
You can apply to multiple schools through early action, but you can only apply to one school through early decision. While early action is non-binding, early decision is binding—meaning if you’re offered a spot, you have to accept—so you can’t apply early decision more than once.
Remember, every institution is different. Some use “early action” and “early decision” differently than the majority of schools.
Final thoughts
Applying early action or early decision offers several advantages vs. applying through regular decision, such as reduced stress, less time spent working on college applications, knowing where you’ll be attending ahead of time, and having more time to find housing.
On the other hand, applying early has potential disadvantages, such as reduced financial aid opportunities, pressure to decide early where to attend, and the time crunch that comes with regular decision applications shortly after early admission decisions are released.
As with every aspect of the college admissions process, the decision of whether to apply early depends on your specific background and goals, as well as what your schools of interest offer. We encourage your family to thoroughly research every school on your college list before applying early or regular decision to avoid later regrets and maximize your chances for success.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on college admissions. For over 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into top programs like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT using his exclusive approach.
THERE'S NO REASON TO STRUGGLE THROUGH THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS ALONE, ESPECIALLY WITH SO MUCH ON THE LINE. SCHEDULE YOUR COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION TO ENSURE YOU LEAVE NOTHING TO CHANCE.
