Applying to College - Early
The Benefits of Applying Early
Do early birds really have an edge in admissions?
The answer is often yes!
The purpose of submitting an application to a college early is to indicate your top preference for that college or a small group of colleges. They appreciate knowing you are likely to enroll if admitted. With Early Action and Early Decision, you hear sooner whether you’ve been accepted to your “dream school” and there is often a significant admission advantage to applying early.
Knowing sooner allows family members to know what type of college swag to buy you for Christmas.
Here are the different types of college application options:
Restrictive Application Plans
Restrictive Early Action (REA) - Apply and receive an early decision. You can use REA at one school and will have until May 1 to confirm.
Early Decision - Students can apply to one college and must commit to attend if accepted. This is binding!
Non-Restrictive Application Plans
Early Action - Students can apply early and receive a decision before the regular decision deadline.
Other Application Plans
Rolling Admission - Colleges with rolling admissions do not have a set deadline. When the class is full, they will close admissions.
Regular Decision - Submit an application by a set deadline and receive a decision by a set date.
Why Apply Early?
There are advantages and disadvantages to applying early. If you are capable of paying the full cost of attendance, applying REA or ED works in your favor. Knowing which colleges accept more REA and ED applicants is important as well. If you have your eyes focused on one particular college or university, it may be wise to apply ED to gain a better chance of admission.
Financial Aid
You can now submit financial aid forms starting Oct. 1, using taxes you filed two years ago - referred to as Prior-Prior Year (PPY). This gives colleges an opportunity to consider your financial aid or merit awards along with your admissions decision. Often students who apply early are offered more financial aid.
Take Action
Now that you have the definitions, which admissions decision is right for you? Contact me today to discuss your options about how to apply to college and to review your applications.
Universal Application Resources
ARTICLES
6 Common Reasons College Applications Get Rejected by Briana Boyington, USNWR
College Admissions Programs - This blog post includes an infographic that will help you understand the different ways you can apply for college.
Do early birds really have an edge in admissions?
The answer is often yes!
The purpose of submitting an application to a college early is to indicate your top preference for that college or a small group of colleges. They appreciate knowing you are likely to enroll if admitted. With Early Action and Early Decision, you hear sooner whether you’ve been accepted to your “dream school” and there is often a significant admission advantage to applying early.
Knowing sooner allows family members to know what type of college swag to buy you for Christmas.
Here are the different types of college application options:
Restrictive Application Plans
Restrictive Early Action (REA) - Apply and receive an early decision. You can use REA at one school and will have until May 1 to confirm.
- REA “restricts” you from applying to any other school under an early action or early decision plan. With REA, you may only submit one early application, however the admission decision is non-binding (you are not required to enroll if you are accepted). In this case, you should decide if this college is your “Best Fit College”.
- If Yes – apply using the restrictive early action plan.
- If No – apply regular decision so that you may submit early applications to other schools that are higher on your list. You can apply regular admissions to any other colleges.
Early Decision - Students can apply to one college and must commit to attend if accepted. This is binding!
- ED is the most restrictive of all the early plans. Students may only submit one ED application and if you are admitted, you are committed to enrolling at the college. If you are accepted early decision, you must also withdraw your applications to any other college you’ve applied to.
- Applying ED also requires a Early Decision Agreement Form provided by the college and signed by the student, a parent, and the school counselor.
Non-Restrictive Application Plans
Early Action - Students can apply early and receive a decision before the regular decision deadline.
- EA is a plan offered by colleges allowing students to apply early and receive an admissions decision earlier than the regular decision dates. EA is typically non-binding (i.e. you are not required to enroll if you are accepted) and you may submit early action applications to more than one school. You can apply regular admissions to any other colleges.
Other Application Plans
Rolling Admission - Colleges with rolling admissions do not have a set deadline. When the class is full, they will close admissions.
Regular Decision - Submit an application by a set deadline and receive a decision by a set date.
Why Apply Early?
There are advantages and disadvantages to applying early. If you are capable of paying the full cost of attendance, applying REA or ED works in your favor. Knowing which colleges accept more REA and ED applicants is important as well. If you have your eyes focused on one particular college or university, it may be wise to apply ED to gain a better chance of admission.
Financial Aid
You can now submit financial aid forms starting Oct. 1, using taxes you filed two years ago - referred to as Prior-Prior Year (PPY). This gives colleges an opportunity to consider your financial aid or merit awards along with your admissions decision. Often students who apply early are offered more financial aid.
Take Action
- Right now for each college on your list, decide which type of application you will submit – Early Action, Early Decision or Regular Decision.
- Remember – you may have only one Early Decision or Restrictive Early Action application. Be sure that school is your first choice.
Now that you have the definitions, which admissions decision is right for you? Contact me today to discuss your options about how to apply to college and to review your applications.
Universal Application Resources
- The Common App
- The Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success
- The Universal Application
- University of California Admissions
ARTICLES
6 Common Reasons College Applications Get Rejected by Briana Boyington, USNWR
College Admissions Programs - This blog post includes an infographic that will help you understand the different ways you can apply for college.