Early Admission is something that gets a lot of traction around this time as students begin gearing up for the opening of the application process. But if Regular Decision isn't due until much later, is it worth the stress of gathering materials to submit early rather than going slower and applying for Regular Decision? Let's break it down.
Difference between EA and RD
When applying to college, students can choose between Regular Decision and Early Admission, the latter of which includes Early Decision and Early Action. Regular Decision applications are typically due between January 1 and January 15, with decisions released in March or April. This non-binding process allows students to compare financial aid offers and decide by May 1. There are pros of RD such as the chance to see each colleges offers, gain more guaranteed scholarships, and study more for the SAT and ACT without the stress of completing it in a short amount of time.
Early Admission is broken down into Early Decision and Early Action. Early Decision is a binding agreement. This means that if accepted, a student must attend the college. While Early Decision demonstrates strong commitment and can enhance admission chances, it limits financial aid comparisons and is binding. Early Action allows for students to receive more options early on without having to fully commit.
What makes Early Admission worth pursuing?
Early Admission is worth pursuing based on the acceptance rate difference for some of the most competitive colleges around the U.S. For Ivy Leauge colleges, the ED/EA acceptance rate is roughly around 13%, while RD acceptance rates sit at around 6%. Therefore a student is twice as likely to be accepted when applying early rather than waiting. For some colleges this is even more significant. Students of Dartmouth in 2022 who applied for ED/EA had an almost 25% chance of admission, whereas the acceptance rate for regular admission wasn't even 7%.
This graph represents ED/EA acceptance rates compared to the RD acceptance rates for the top 10 colleges around the U.S for the 2023-2024 school year. In each circumstance, students had a better chance of admission when applying early.
Attending any competitive college such as an Ivy Leauge or similar is no easy feat. However by applying for early admission there is a greater chance of admission for all. Even though the application process can feel more rushed due to navigating it while starting school, in the end the work pays off significantly.
If ED/EA is something you've been thinking about and have questions on, or don't know where to start with a college list, we have a team with over 20 years experience getting students into these top colleges, and we can help you too! Click below to set up a FREE consultation with one of our team members and get started on your college journey today.
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