These students apply during the fall, often throughout the month of October, and find out their admission status long before other students. Although Early Action and Early Decision applications are due around the same time- Early Action and Early Decision applications typically have to be submitted between early and mid-November.
According to the College Board’s website, the main difference between applying to a college using an Early Decision application and an Early Action application is the finality of the decision.
“Early decision plans are binding — a student who is accepted as an ED applicant must attend the college,” the College Board website said. “Early action plans are non-binding — students receive an early response to their application but do not have to commit to the college until the normal reply date of May 1.”
Early Decision and Early Action are not meant for every student. According to Angie Barone, an admissions counselor at Dickinson College, there are a variety of factors that contribute to whether or not Early Decision or Early Action is appropriate for a specific person.
“It depends on the student’s situation,” Barone said. “The student who is far enough along in thinking about college to be ready to apply by an early deadline might be encouraged to do so because getting their decision and financial awards early is advantageous. But, for instance, the student who saw a downturn in grades in junior year and who needs to show improvement in senior year to demonstrate that they are back on track might want to wait for a later round in order to show more of the senior year grades.”
