How Early Decision Works: A Guide to the Early Rounds

Once you’ve put the finishing touches on your list of best-fit colleges, it’s time to consider application strategy. More specifically, seniors need to decide when they will apply to the schools on their list.

Early Decision can be a great application option for a student who is passionate about a certain school and able to meet the deadline. While it may not be for everyone, understanding how Early Decision works can help students determine what kind of application strategy aligns with their needs and goals.

Early Decision and Early Action: What’s the Difference?

Early application policies vary from school to school. Do your research and find out exactly which policy you are agreeing to when applying early — most importantly, is it binding or not? There are four variations: 

Early Decision (ED)

This choice is for students who have identified a college as a definite first choice. Early Decision is binding, meaning if you apply to a school ED, you are committing to enrolling upon admission and must withdraw all other applications. Students who apply for ED usually get their admissions decision in mid-December. Because it is binding, you can only apply to one school ED. 

ED I and ED II 

Some schools have two ED deadlines, one in November and a second in December, closer to the Regular Decision deadline. ED II is for students who are committed to applying ED to their top-choice school but aren’t necessarily ready for the early November deadline. Again, these are binding. 

Early Action (EA)

Early Action is like Early Decision except you are not required to attend if admitted — it is non-binding. You can apply to many schools Early Action and will receive your admission decision in December. 

Single-Choice Early Action (SCEA) 

Also known as Restrictive Early Action, this option is also non-binding; however, you cannot apply to other schools EA or ED until you receive your decision from the school to which you applied SCEA. In Restrictive Early Action policies, however, you can still apply to public or state universities EA.

Some colleges offer Single-Choice Early Action or Restricted Early Action, which limits when students can apply to other schools without binding them to a specific choice. The rules for this application process can vary by institution — read all the fine print before committing to this option.

Hidden ED III

Often known as “secret” or “hidden,” ED III is a policy that allows students to change their Regular Decision application to ED II as long as they submit the proper paperwork by a certain deadline. Often these deadlines are well after the initial ED II deadline, giving students a third opportunity to apply ED to a top-choice school if they want. The decision is binding, meaning students accepted after switching to an ED round are bound to attend if admitted.

This type of policy has become more popular in recent years as more colleges offer more EA and ED rounds. Many schools offer this option, including Bates College, Hamilton College, Lafayette College, Skidmore College, Texas Christian University, and Villanova University.

What Are the Benefits of Applying Early?

For a student who is passionate about a specific institution, Early Decision can be an excellent choice. Early Decision is one of the best ways to convey your demonstrated interest in a specific school, which can serve as an advantage throughout the application process. The acceptance rate for Early Decision applicants is often higher than the rate for regular round admissions; however, this is in part due to the nature of the applicants. Many students who apply ED are competitive applicants who are on top of the game throughout the admissions process. 

Better Admission Rates

When you apply early, you’re entering into a smaller applicant pool, albeit just as competitive as the Regular Decision pool. However, early admit rates still tend to be higher when compared to the regular or overall admission rates for a school. Some can even be two to three times higher. For example, for the class of 2027, Middlebury College had a 34.02% early admit rate compared to its 7.2% Regular Decision admission rate. At the University of Pennsylvania, 14.85% of those who applied early were admitted, compared to the 4.45% of applicants who were admitted in the regular round. 

Knowing Your Admissions Decision Sooner

Those who apply early usually get their admissions decisions back by mid- to late December. Depending on whether you’re accepted, denied, or deferred, you can begin to put forth a plan of action. You might want to secure enrollment if you’re admitted, finalize other applications for regular admission if you’re denied, or write a letter and seek expert guidance on the next steps if you’re deferred to the regular round. 

Demonstrating Your Interest 

It’s no secret that schools want to admit students who really want to attend. The presence of demonstrated interest, or the school’s gauge of how likely you are to attend if admitted, has become more of a consideration in the college admissions process. One way to demonstrate your interest is by applying early. Especially if the school has a binding early admissions policy, applying early is the most effective way to show your commitment to the institution.

Learn more advantages of applying early.     

Are There Drawbacks of Early Decision Applications?

You have to be ready. Applying early isn’t just so you can get your applications out of the way — it’s for students who have decided on a top-choice school and have all their materials ready to go. If you apply early but your junior year grades weren’t the best, you could be hurting yourself by not waiting to see if your fall semester grades show improvement. The same applies to standardized test scores. If everything is ready to go but you’re waiting on fall ACT or SAT scores, applying before they are available can hurt your chances of admission.

One of the key differentiating factors that sets Early Decision apart from other early application processes is the fact that it is a binding decision. In other words, if a student is accepted to a college they applied to through Early Decision, the candidate is expected to enroll and must withdraw any outstanding applications. Any student who is considering applying to a college through Early Decision should understand that this is a commitment and feel 100% confident that the school they are applying to is truly their top-choice school.

Is Applying Early Right for You?

First, be sure that the school or schools you are applying early to are your top choices. Applying early is a commitment that requires a lot of preparation, so only apply early to an institution you really want to attend.

Second, all your application materials, including test scores and grades, must be ready to go to maximize your chances of admission. Again, if you’re waiting on the final ACT or SAT scores, or if your fall semester grades will give your application a boost, it will be better to apply in the regular round.

Third, be strategic! At IvyWise, we advise our students to apply in the round that will maximize their chances of acceptance at their top-choice schools. If you think you have a better chance of being admitted EA to two of your top choices, but also want to wait until your fall semester grades are available to apply to a more competitive school in the regular round, then go ahead and apply early and keep working on your regular applications.

Deciding where to go to college is a big decision. Early application options are great for students who know where they want to attend and have all their materials ready ahead of deadlines. However, you should not feel pressured to apply early if you don’t feel like you’re prepared. Take time to think over your application options and make sure you’re feeling completely confident before you hit ‘submit!’

When to Give Early Decision a Second Thought?

There’s no one-size-fits-all application process and for some students, Early Decision may not be the best option. If a student doesn’t have a clear first-choice school, it may be better to apply in non-binding rounds. Similarly, if a student wishes to have the opportunity to compare financial aid packages and gauge scholarship offerings, applying to a single school ED will not be beneficial. Students who got a late start on the application process and those who are still working on upping their grades and test scores may wish to avoid the first Early Decision round as well.

Need expert help with your application strategy and other parts of your college admissions journey? IvyWise counselors have direct admissions experience at some of the top schools in the U.S., so they know what admissions committees are looking for and how to make your application stand out.