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Types of Early Action
Understanding SCEA/REA
Top Schools With Early Action Plans
Early Action Acceptance Rates
Pros & Cons of EA
Deciding Whether To Apply EA
Should You Apply EA?
When you're getting ready to apply to college, strategic planning and timely decision-making are crucial. As students decide where and when to apply, many students opt to apply Early Action (EA). Unlike Early Decision, applying EA leaves you free from binding commitments but can give you an edge in the admissions process. And, while you'll have to apply earlier, you're notified earlier too, which can give you some added flexibility as you plan your transition to college.
In this blog, we'll explore all of the details surrounding Early Action — what it means for your admissions strategy, timelines to consider, its pros and cons, and how to decide if it's the right choice for you.
Early Action (EA) is a college application process where you can submit your application to a preferred college early in your senior year — typically with an application deadline on November 1st or November 15th.
Notification timelines can vary considerably from school to school, but it's usually between early December and late January that schools notify EA applicants of admissions decisions.
Early Action is distinct from other application routes, such as Early Decision (ED) and Regular Decision (RD).
Unlike Early Decision (ED), Early Action is non-binding, meaning that if admitted, you're not obligated to attend the institution. It offers a middle ground between the regular decision process and the more restrictive Early Decision plans.
One challenge when applying EA is meeting the earlier application deadline, which can vary by school, but falls earlier in your senior year.
An upside to Applying Early Action is that it typically means you're likely to benefit from a significantly higher acceptance rate, compared to acceptance rates for students applying RD to the same school, while also highlighting your strong interest in the school.
With acceptance rates at the Ivy League schools and other top-ranked institutions at their lowest ever, applying early can be one compelling option as part of a comprehensive application strategy.
In a moment we'll take a closer look at EA acceptance rates and explore the pros and cons of applying EA, so keep reading!
Many schools only offer Early Action. However, some schools offer two Early Action timelines: Early Action 1 (EA 1) and Early Action 2 (EA 2).
Another type of Early Action application process also exists, and involves more restrictions: commonly referred to as either Single-Choice Early Action (SCEA) or Restrictive Early Action (REA).
Early Action / Early Action 1 | Early Action 2 | |
---|---|---|
Application Timeline* | Early November to Early December | Early December to Early January |
Notification Timeline* | December or Early January | Mid January to Late February |
*Deadlines and timelines can vary by institution and year to year, and are subject to change.
Check out Mark Your Calendars: Understanding Early Application Notification Dates to learn more.
Applying SCEA or REA adds some stringent restrictions, and any decision to apply SCEA/REA deserves thorough consideration for this reason.
While policies can vary from school to school, here are the typical, prominent features of an SCEA/REA application process:
To give you an idea of the many ins and outs to consider when considering an SCEA or REA application route, here's what the REA policy looks like at Stanford:
As you can see, applying SCEA or REA, can feel like signing a contract, or like you need a lawyer to advise you!
Fortunately, it's not really as complicated as that, but you should carefully think through your overall application goals and strategies — for all of your target and reach schools — before committing to this kind of agreement.
And, you can also reach out to a Crimson counselor for feedback on your strategy. (No. We're not lawyers... But we know admissions inside out!)
The following are some of the more popular, high-ranking schools offering Early Action options, showing what type of Early Action policy they have in place.
School | Early Action Policy |
---|---|
Princeton | Single Choice Early Action |
MIT | Non-Restrictive Early Action |
Harvard | Restrictive Early Action |
Stanford | Restrictive Early Action |
Yale | Single Choice Early Action |
Caltech | Restrictive Early Action |
UChicago | Non-Restrictive Early Action (and offers ED 1 and ED 2) |
Notre Dame | Restrictive Early Action |
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor | Non-Restrictive Early Action |
Georgetown University | Partially Restrictive Early Action |
UNC-Chapel Hill | Non-Restrictive Early Action |
Purdue University | Non-Restrictive Early Action |
Pepperdine University | Non-Restrictive Early Action (and Early Decision) |
*Policies are subject to change. Always review policies for schools you're applying to.
The quest for a more favorable acceptance rate is a top reason for considering Early Action application processes when charting your path to top schools.
Let's look at how Early Action acceptance rates measure up against overall acceptance rates, focusing on top-ranked universities, Ivies and non-Ivies, to help you gauge the edge you can get applying early.
Remember, in addition to the pure numerical advantage, applying Early Action also helps you demonstrate a strong interest in the school you're applying to, giving your application a further boost.
As you take in the figures below, keep in mind that rates can change from year to year, that not all schools report acceptance rate data or report it promptly, and that the rates for EA 2 are usually lower than for EA 1 at the same school.
University | Number of EA Applicants | Admitted | Class of 2028 EA Acceptance Rate | Class of 2028 Overall Acceptance Rate |
---|---|---|---|---|
Harvard | 7,921 | 692 | 8.74% | 3.59% |
Princeton | na | na | 11.7%* | 4.5%* |
Yale | 7,856 | 709 | 9% | 3.73% |
*Estimated figures
University | Number of EA Applicants | Admitted | Class of 2028 EA Acceptance Rate | Class of 2028 Overall Acceptance Rate |
---|---|---|---|---|
MIT | 12,563 | 661 | 5.26% | 4.52% |
Georgetown | 8,600 | 860 | 10% | 12% |
USC | 41,000 | 2,950 | 7.2% | 9.2% |
University of Notre Dame | 11,498 | 1,724 | 15% | 11.1% |
As you can see, even Early Action acceptance rates at top schools are very competitive, but in most cases the EA rate gives you a significant statistical edge compared to overall acceptance rates. Also, remember that across most highly selective schools, Regular Decision rates will trend the lowest of all.
Like any strategic decision, Early Action comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Understanding these can help you make a strategic choice that aligns with your goals.
Early Notification: One of the primary benefits of Early Action is that you receive admission decisions sooner than Regular Decision applicants. This can alleviate stress and allow you to plan accordingly.
Flexibility: Since Early Action is non-binding, you have the flexibility to compare offers and make a final decision closer to the Regular Decision deadline.
Demonstrated Interest: Applying early can demonstrate your genuine interest in the institution, potentially giving your application a slight boost.
Increased Acceptance Rates: Some colleges have higher acceptance rates for Early Action applicants compared to Regular Decision applicants, making it a favorable option for those aiming to improve their chances of admission.
The Yield Rate Advantage: Schools are often motivated to admit a high percentage of EA applicants. Why? Higher yield rates can boost the school's rankings.
Likewise, being able to predict yield rates can help schools manage enrollment numbers. For the highly restrictive SCEA and REA application options in particular, yield rate calculations are likely to be a factor in your favor.
Students agreeing to the restrictions are signaling that the school is their top choice, so school officials can be confident most SCEA/REA applicants will accept the offer if admitted. Each offer accepted increases the school yield rate, potentially boosting school rankings.
Now let's take a look at some of the cons of using an Early Action application strategy...
Less Compelling Application Information: Applying early means you might not have your senior-year grades and standardized test scores (if applicable) at the time of application. This could impact the overall strength of your application.
Pressure to Decide Early and Rushed Application: Early Action deadlines often fall in the first semester of your senior year, which can be a time of increased academic pressure. Rushing your application may result in a less polished submission.
Limited Options: If you are accepted under Early Action, you might feel compelled to commit to that institution, potentially limiting your ability to explore other offers.
Competitive Pool: Early Action pools can be highly competitive, as many high-achieving students apply early to their dream schools. This could make it more challenging to stand out.
Severe Restrictions: Applying under SCEA/REA can involve some severe restrictions on other early-round strategies you're considering for other schools you're targeting. making it not worth the trade-off to apply SCEA/REA.
What Is Early Action?
The decision to apply Early Action should take several factors into account. Below is a list of things to consider when deciding whether or not to apply Early Action.
If you decide to pursue Early Action, follow these steps to ensure a smooth application process:
1. Thorough Research and Consideration: Understand the institution's culture, programs, and offerings to ensure a genuine fit before deciding. And, think about your overall application strategy, across all your target and reach schools — especially if you're going to agree to a restrictive version of Early Action policy.
2. Financial Preparation: Assess the college's financial aid policies thoroughly and discuss potential implications with your family or financial advisors.
3. Application Readiness: Complete all necessary components, such as essays, transcripts, and recommendations, well in advance to meet the early deadline effectively.
If you’ve had your sights set on one college and are sure it's the perfect fit for you, there’s little downside to applying Early Action. Depending on the school, you might increase your chances of acceptance by applying EA. An EA application, and a SCEA/REA one even more, will demonstrate your interest and commitment to your top-choice school — qualities admissions officers love to see.
Keep in mind that Early Action alone doesn't give you a better chance of getting accepted. Crimson Education US admissions strategist Steve Han says that early-round applicants he works with often succeed in large part because of the motivation they have to submit a really stellar application and well written essays.
Even applying in the early round, you still need to submit the strongest possible application — crafting a coherent narrative around a compelling profile and demonstrating a good fit for that school.
For help with deciding whether to apply EA, SCEA, or REA, and for crafting the kind of application submitted by top applicants, book a free consultation with one of our skilled academic advisers.
If you are neither accepted nor denied outright, you typically are deferred to the Regular Decision round. In this case, the college will notify you of the deferral and explain the timeline for next steps, which usually means they will reevaluate your application with the larger pool of applicants.
Keep in mind, deferrals can entail other requirements for you, as the school may request more information about your senior year: about extracurriculars, grades, IB/AP scores, and so on.
If you are rejected it could be during the first round of notifications or after your application was deferred and then re-evaluated in the regular round. Either way, you can’t apply again to the same school that academic year.
When applying to colleges, Early Action is clearly distinguished from Early Decision by the fact that you are not committing to attend the school if you're admitted. Applying Early Action is non-binding, granting you the freedom to explore other schools even after acceptance.
With higher acceptance rates and schools' efforts to manage yield rates in play, applying EA can put your application on a more favorable footing. With Regular Decision acceptance rates at top schools lower than ever, an EA strategy is worth considering.
If you're considering applying SCEA/REA, just remember that path can really limit your options in terms of strategies for applying to other schools you're interested in, so consider that decision carefully. Speak with a Crimson strategist for personalized guidance and feedback to be more confident about the next steps in your college journey and to learn more about strategies used by top applicants.