Early Action vs. Early Decision: Which Is Right for You?

If you are considering applying to college early, you may be contemplating either the early action or early decision application methods. If you know which school you want to attend or have a top choice, early decision and early action application plans allow you to submit your application and receive your admissions decision earlier than the regular applicants.

Not all schools offer these options, but there are still hundreds of colleges and universities that do. Understanding these two options, and their benefits and drawbacks, is essential to making an informed decision. 

Read on to explore key details about early action and early decision plans, including benefits, drawbacks, and important differences that can help you choose the path that’s right for you.

What is early action?

Early action is an application plan in which a learner applies to a university earlier than the regular deadline, and the university notifies them before the normal notification date. If accepted, you will have an extended period of time to decide whether or not you will attend that university. If the application is deferred, admissions will wait until the regular decision date to let you know if you've been accepted or not.

Common early action timeline

The timeline for early action typically involves you submitting your application in November or December. You then receive an admissions decision within a month or two (usually in late December, January, or February). If you apply early action, you will still have until National College Decision Day on May 1—notwithstanding FAFSA delays in recent years—to accept your admissions offer from the school. 

Benefits of early action

If you’re still considering when and how to apply to college, consider some of the benefits of applying early action, which include:

Higher chance of getting accepted

If you apply early action, you compete with a smaller pool of applicants, thus potentially increasing your chances of being accepted to the university or college. This isn’t a given, however. Some schools have the same acceptance rates among early action applicants as well as standard applicants.

That said, many schools view early action applicants as prepared, motivated, and seriously interested in their institution, making them more likely to accept those applicants.

Finishing the college application process sooner

Once you have submitted your early action applications, you will likely receive an admissions decision by late December, January, or early February. If you apply, receive admission, and commit to a school using this method, you could complete the college application process sooner than if you applied with a regular decision plan. 

Freedom to choose between different colleges

When you receive acceptance to multiple universities through an early action plan, you still have the option to choose which institution you wish to attend, as early action is nonbinding. You can review the financial offers from different schools and take your time to decide which college is right for you. In most cases, you will have until May 1 to inform the university whether or not you will be attending, but you will have the advantage of a longer period of time to think things over.

Drawbacks of early action

What are some of the cons associated with applying early action? Several downsides of this option include:

Earlier deadline

While an early action plan means you receive an earlier admissions decision, one of the stipulations of this earlier notification is that you will have to fill out and submit your college applications sooner than the regular deadline. Because of this, you should plan your time accordingly to complete applications with differing deadlines on time.

Potential deferral to regular decision

If you receive a deferral under an early action application, it means that the school isn't ready to decide whether or not to admit you to the school yet. When this happens, you must wait until the regular decision date to find out if you have been admitted. Despite submitting your materials early, you still have to wait for the normal admission decision date along with regular applicants.

What is early decision?

Early decision is an application plan that binds you to the university, meaning you're committing to attend the school if accepted. If you decide to apply early decision, you should be financially and mentally prepared to go to that specific school. You may apply to multiple schools with an early action plan, but you can only apply to one school using the early decision method. Because of this, the school you apply to early decision should be the school you would choose above all others if accepted.

Common early decision timeline

The standard early decision timeline is to submit your application by November and receive an admission decision by late December or early January. Some schools offer an Early Decision II plan, which still upholds the binding contract but pushes the application deadline to December or January. You then typically receive an admissions decision around mid-February.

Benefits of early decision

It’s essential to consider the benefits of applying early decision. Some of the primary advantages include:

Decisiveness

If you have identified your top school, early decision is a beneficial path to consider. When you receive acceptance to a school for which you have applied early decision, you have already made your choice and are free from the stress of deciding between a variety of schools. You will have confirmation of your college plans ahead of learners who apply using the regular decision option.

Higher chance of admission

A smaller applicant pool can mean less competition for a spot at the university you wish to attend. As an early decision plan is binding, it demonstrates a stronger interest to the admissions team that you will attend the school if accepted.

Earlier financial clarity

When you receive your acceptance to a school you have applied to with an early decision plan, you will receive the financial aid package with the acceptance letter. This will give you an idea of what you will be paying much earlier than the other applicants.

Drawbacks of early decision

Although the benefits can be significant, it’s equally critical to consider the potential disadvantages you could face. The drawbacks of early decision include:

Early preparation of materials

If you are applying early decision, you're certain you will attend that school if accepted. This requires you to prepare all application materials further ahead of time. You must write, edit, and review essays and supplemental materials, as well as gather test scores and academic transcripts at the beginning of your senior year. When deciding when to apply, consider if your best application can be put forward early, or if your application would be stronger later in the year.

You will have minimal time to adjust your materials if you are unhappy with your results. You will also need to be aware of how much you are willing to pay for college and what your financial plan looks like earlier in the process than with standard admissions, as you will not have the chance to compare admissions offers.

Binding

Early decision is a binding contract, which, while ensuring a higher chance of acceptance, can result in your obligated commitment to that school. This means will have withdraw from other applications and won't be able to choose a different school. The only typical exception is if the financial aid package offered doesn't meet your needs, in which case you can break the contract.

Inability to compare financial aid awards

The binding aspect of the early decision also affects your ability to compare the financial aid awards from other institutions. If you receive acceptance to a college for which you have applied early decision, you have agreed to commit to the financial aid package awarded to you by that institution, regardless of the offers from other schools. Financial affordability is the main reason students back out of early decision contracts, as you are only aware of what you are paying after receiving your acceptance.

Key differences between early action vs. early decision

The two are similar. However, early action and early decision do have a few key differences, including the following: 

Binding aspect

Early decision is binding; early action is not. If you apply for early decision, you must sign a contract or waiver declaring that you will attend that university if accepted. If you apply early action, you may apply to multiple different schools, and you are under no obligation to attend the universities if you are accepted. 

Decisiveness of preferred school

Early decision applicants will only apply to one school, which should be the top choice institution. Early action applicants can apply to multiple schools, making it a better option if you are still considering different colleges and universities and have yet to decide on one definitive preferred school. 

Financial clarity

Financial aid packages given to early decision applicants are often less flexible than those given to early action applicants. However, you'll also receive your financial aid package sooner with an early decision application than with an early action application.

How to decide which is right for you

Both early action and early decision plans are great options if you are a top-performing applicant and have a clear preference for the school or schools you wish to attend. To decide which application plan is right for you, consider the pros and cons of early action versus early decision.

If a school accepts you and you would attend over any other university no matter the cost, you should apply early decision to increase your chance of admission. If you are equally interested in a few different schools, but do not want to commit to one without receiving further details, you should apply early action.

Next steps

Early action plans allow you to apply to several colleges and universities early. In contrast, early decision plans require you to apply to only your top choice school and accept an acceptance offer if given. After deciding which application plan is right for you, list the required materials for each college application and write down the application deadlines and notification dates of admissions decisions. Planning ahead can make the college admissions process smoother and less stressful. 

On Coursera, you can explore courses like U101: Understanding College and College Life and Applying to US Universities to understand the college admissions process and the necessary materials when submitting applications to universities.

You can also complete a fully online college degree on Coursera, such as Illinois Tech's Bachelor of Information Technology, the University of London's BSc Computer Science, or the University of North Texas' Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences—all on Coursera.