Early Decision (ED) - With application deadlines around 15th October to 1st November, this is one of the earliest rounds a student may apply in. It’s important to note that if admitted through ED, the student is binding themselves to the particular university. This means that you must then attend the particular university and withdraw all other applications, not just from US universities but anywhere in the world. A student can only apply to ONE university ED.
Strategically, ED applications can be beneficial as universities tend to fill a lot of their classes through this round. It also lets them know that they are your top choice and a guaranteed enrol, if admitted. When applying through ED, students hear back from universities by mid December. Many US universities offer ED.
Early Action (EA) - With similar deadlines as ED, EA applications show universities that you are keen to attend them, and prepared with your application for the first round. However, as EA applications are not binding, they are less beneficial than ED strategically. Universities know you are not a guaranteed enrol. A student may apply to as many universities EA as he/ she likes, provided the university offers this policy. Universities reveal admissions decisions for the EA round between mid December and February. Many US universities offer EA.
ED differs from EA in that it constitutes a binding commitment to enrol; that is, if offered admission under an ED program the student MUST withdraw all other applications to other institutions and enrol at that institution. EA is not binding, so a student admitted to a school EA could choose not to enroll into that school. Students can also choose to apply ED to 1 college along with EA to others unless any universities specifically restrict this (Restrictive Early Action). University policies will be available on their individual websites.
Early Decision 2 – With the same policies as ED, the deadline for this round is usually early January. This is a great opportunity for a student who did not get admitted into their first choice college in the ED round and has a strong second preference, that he/she is happy to bind themselves to. This could also be a policy that students can use if they are not ready with their applications by the ED deadlines or feel that they could use the few extra months to strengthen certain aspects of their application. A student may apply through ED2 if he/ she has not applied anywhere ED OR has been denied admission through ED.
Some universities offer ED2, however, we are seeing that with time, it is becoming increasingly popular.
Regular Decision (RD) - With a deadline of early January (in most cases), regular decision is an application round that is not binding. Almost all universities offer this admission cycle.
Rolling Admission - Some universities offer a relatively long window known as Rolling Admission. This means that students applications are reviewed as and when they apply, and different students will hear their admission decisions at different times. There is no fixed date when decisions are out for all students, however, it is advantageous to apply at the beginning of the window as admissions might get more competitive as seats start to fill up!
A university could offer ED, EA, ED2 as well as RD applications, or might offer a combination of these cycles! While there are advantages to making the most of the Early opportunities, students should carefully assess which round is most beneficial in their individual circumstances! The benefits of applying Early also differ from college to college as they each have their own internal admissions policies and ways of reviewing applications. WHERE you apply early is as important (if not more!) than simply deciding whether you will be applying ED/EA/ED2. Therefore it is integral that students make wise and informed choices when making these decisions. Remember, that there is no blanket rule about how to go about this process as there are several subjective factors that come into play, so think carefully and make the decisions that best suit YOU. All the best!
