Applying early to college? Confused about ED vs EA vs Rolling? Let's break it down

The first day of fall is this week, which means application deadlines for the early college admissions rounds are fast approaching. If you are in the midst of the college application process right now, you may hear a lot of talk around students increasing their chances of acceptances into top schools by applying "early." While this can sometimes be true, you need to make sure you understand the different types of early application programs offered by the colleges in your list to maximize your application.

Here's a quick refresher of the common early application terms:

EARLY DECISION (ED) is binding and comes with the understanding that students only apply to one ED school at a time. If a student is offered admission at an ED school, they must attend that school and withdraw all other applications. ED is for students (and families) who are truly committed to their top choice school and prepared to attend if offered admission. Notifications of these decisions will occur prior to the deadlines for regular decisions applications, so applying ED is a great way to let a school know they are your absolute first choice. Students can apply simultaneously to other schools, but only indicate one as their ED choice. If a student is denied from their first ED school, they can still apply to another ED school.

EARLY ACTION (EA) means students apply by an earlier deadline to schools, but are not required to attend the school if admitted. Students may apply EA to several schools at the same time. EA is a great way to show your strong interest in a school without committing to attend if accepted. Keep in mind that if students are admitted early action, they often need to let the college know if they accept their offer before most regular decisions are released.

ROLLING ADMISSION (RA) means schools will review applications as they are submitted, often as early as summer prior to senior year. Schools offering RA will begin reviewing applications and putting out decisions right away, rather than releasing all decisions on a specific date. Schools typically give a window of time during which they will review applications, so students can apply later into the season as well. RA is non-binding, so students can apply to other schools simultaneously, or even later in the cycle. Typically, students submitting early to an RA school will have a higher likelihood of receiving an admissions offer, as the schools have more available spots early in their admissions cycle.

BENEFITS OF APPLYING EARLY, for students who have definite first and top-choice schools

• Early application=early decision notification, which often reduces the stress of waiting until the spring for admissions decisions

• Can save time and money spent on additional applications if student is accepted early to their top school

• If accepted early, students can gain more time to look for housing, applicable scholarships and honors programs, prepare for other upcoming aspects of college life, and enjoy a bit more down time during their senior year

• If not accepted early, students have time to reassess options and apply elsewhere

DRAWBACKS OF APPLYING EARLY

• Committing to one college puts pressure on students to make decisions before they may have had the time to explore all of their options

• Most colleges do not notify ED and EA decisions until mid-December, which leaves a real time crunch at the end of the year to meet Regular decisions deadlines if a student was not accepted early

• Students who apply under ED plans will not be able to compare financial aid offers from other colleges. For students who absolutely need financial aid, applying ED may be a risky option

KEEP IN MIND

• As the names imply, both Early Action and Early Decision have earlier deadlines, typically ranging from October 15-December 1, with November 1 seemingly the most common target date. What this means for students is that they have to be more organized and on top of their application materials, ideally starting the summer of senior year.

• ED, EA and RA specifics vary by school, so students should get information directly from the admissions staff at their first and top-choice colleges as soon as possible. Do not assume the common November 1 date will apply to all schools. Early applicants must take (at the latest) the October SAT/ACT in order for these scores to make it to the colleges in time.

HELPFUL TIPS

• In these first weeks of school, reach out to your high school counselors to let them know you are planning to apply early.

• Communicate with the teachers from whom you have requested recommendation letters. Share your ED and/or EA deadlines with them and secure confirmation from them by the end of September.

• Hopefully you took the SAT or ACT during your junior year. If you are happy with your scores, you should have your results sent to the schools to which you are applying early. If you choose to take them again, be aware of tests date and registration deadlines.

SAT: Oct 1 test date, Sept 20 late registration deadline

Nov 5 test date, Oct 7 registration/Oct 25 late registration deadlines

ACT: Oct 22 test date, Sept 30 late registration/Oct 14 Standby deadlines

• If you are applying for financial aid, start compiling required documents for the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form and CSS Profile (if required)

If you decide to apply ED, EA, or early to an RA college, making sure you are equipped with the correct information required by each individual school will help you with each step in the early admissions process.

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