ED? EA? RD? RA? Deciphering the Acronyms & Choosing What’s Best for You
If you are a rising senior planning to attend college, you are probably working on narrowing your list of schools you will apply to right now. Once that list has been finalized, the next decision is how you plan to apply to each school.
US colleges can offer many application deadlines and it can be confusing to know which one is right for you at each school. Approximately 450 colleges have early decision or early action plans, and some have both so you must check the website and specific deadlines carefully.
Note: Many arts programs, especially in performing arts, dance, music, and film, require all applicants to submit applications early to allow the colleges time to evaluate pre-screen materials and schedule in-person or virtual auditions. Pay attention to these dates if applying to these programs.
ED - EARLY DECISION
ED is a binding application. This means when you are accepted as an ED applicant you must attend the college. You may only apply to one school ED and if you are admitted, you are expected to accept the offer and withdraw any other applications you’ve submitted. (Some schools make an exception if you are not awarded the financial aid package that suits your needs.) Most early decision applications are due by November and inform you of their decision by mid-December. You can be accepted, denied, or deferred. Being deferred means that your application is placed in the RD pool of applicants for review.
Apply ED only if you are absolutely certain of your first choice and if cost is not a factor in your decision.
EA - EARLY ACTION
EA is a non-binding application. You will receive an early response to your application but you do not have to commit to the college until the normal reply date and you may apply to several schools through this deadline. Many schools have an EA deadline of November 1 or November 15 (but check the website for specific schools). You will usually be informed of their decision by mid-December. Some colleges offer a non-binding option called single-choice early action, under which applicants may not apply ED or EA to any other college. Similar to ED, there are three possible responses to receive from the school: accept, deny, or defer.
ADVANTAGES OF ED
Beat the regular spring notification deadline.
Avoid the cost of submitting multiple applications.
Reduce time waiting for a decision.
Decrease stress if accepted.
May somewhat increase chances of getting accepted to selective schools.
May receive a financial aid bonus for applying early and demonstrating interest.
DISADVANTAGES OF ED
Must make serious decisions before exploring all options.
Can only apply ED to one school.
May not have the time or opportunity to compare financial aid packages.
May have no or fewer aid and scholarship options than when applying to many schools.
Sometimes competing with a smaller but much stronger pool of candidates than during the regular decision round.
If rejected, may feel disappointed and discouraged about the remaining applications.
RD - REGULAR DECISION
RD is the most common way to apply. Most RD deadlines are between January 1 and February 1 with the non-binding decision announced in mid-March to early April. You can submit as many applications as you wish with RD. If you need strong fall senior grades to boost your GPA, this is a good option. This may be the best option if you are dependent on financial aid because you will be able to compare the options provided by each school.
ROLLING ADMISSIONS
Rolling admissions do not have deadlines and schools will accept applications as long as there are spaces available in the incoming class. In general, you should be notified of the admissions decision within a few weeks of submitting your application. This could be a good option if you are not accepted to any school through the RD process.
