Early Action, Decision, and Regular Decision

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Early Action v.s. Restrictive Early Action

List of Early Action Schools 2021–2022

1. MIT
2. California Institute of Technology
3. UNC, Chapel Hill
4. University of Georgia
5. University of Chicago
6. Purdue University, West Layfayette
7. University of Maryland, College Park
8. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
9. The Ohio State University
10. University of Washington
11. Northeastern University

What is Early Action?

Early Action is a non-binding, non-restrictive early round decision type. The application deadline is between mid-October and early November.

Because Early Action decisions are non-binding, you can withdraw your application or deny the acceptance without any penalty. Furthermore, you can make your final decision on May 1st, which means that you can compare your financial options at liberty.

The trick of Early Action is that even though it is non-restrictive, meaning you can apply to multiple schools at the same time, you cannot apply to EA schools with other restrictive decision types like Early Decision or Restrictive Early Action.

List of Restrictive Early Action Schools 2021–2022​

1. Harvard University
2. Yale University
3. Princeton University (Single-Choice Early Action)
4. Stanford University
5. University of Notre Dame

What is Restrictive Early Action?

Restrictive Early Action is a non-binding, restrictive early round decision type. The application deadline is clustered around the first week of November. Restrictive Early Actions, also called Single-Choice Early Actions, are often preferred by prestigious private universities like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.

It is at a mid-point between Early Action and Early Decision in a sense that it has attributes of both decision types. It is non-binding like Early Action, which gives students power to ultimately decide against attending the school even if they get accepted. However, it is restrictive, meaning students cannot apply to other privateschools (either through Early Action or Restrictive Early Action).

Students can still apply to non-binding public universities.

Early Action v.s. Early Decision

What is Early Decision?

Early Decision is a binding, early round decision. Once you get accepted to school through early decision deadline, you must attend the school and waive acceptance from any other schools to which you got accepted.

There are two types of early decisions based on the application deadline. Early Decision 1 shares its timeline with other early round applications like Early Action or Restrictive Early Action. The deadline for Early Decision 2 is closer to that of Regular Decision, even though you get your decision within a month.

List of Early Decision 1 Schools

1. Northwestern University
2. University of Chicago
3. Johns Hopkins University
4. Washington University, St Louis
5. Dartmouth University
6. Cornell University
7. Columbia University
8. Duke University
9. University of Pennsylvania
10. Brown University
11. Rice University
12. University of Virginia
13. Boston University
14. New York University

Early Decision 2 Schools

1. New York University
2. Northeastern University
3. Johns Hopkins University
4. Washington University, St Louis
5. University of Chicago
6. Boston University

What is the difference between Early Action and Early Decision?

Early Action is non-binding, which means that you can give the confirmation to school with other regular decision schools. When you get accepted to early decision school, you are legally bound to apply.

Early Decision Binding Agreement: What happens when you break it?

You have to sign a legal document (electronically, like you check “agree” button in terms and condition) where you make legally bound commitment to attend the school once you get accepted. If you do not attend your early decision school and choose to attend another, the school can penalize you by contacting other schools you got accepted to. You will have your acceptance from both schools rescinded.

How Do I Know Which Decision Type is Right For me?

If you Can submit strong application before December. Meaning you have already taken advanced classes in your Junior year is sure that you can present your best self, you can consider the option of early round application.

Early Decision I (ED I) application option is best for students who have identified a school as their absolute first choice and know they would choose to attend the school immediately if offered admission.

However, if you are unsure about the first choice school. Moreover, if comparing financial options is important to you, you should strong consider applying for non-binding early action.

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