Understanding Early Decision, Early Action, and Restrictive Early Action in US College Admissions: Pros and Cons

Applying to college can be a daunting and competitive process. To navigate this journey, many students consider early decision (ED), early action (EA), and restrictive early action (REA) programs offered by colleges and universities across the United States. These processes allow students to apply early and potentially increase their chances of admission. In this article, we will delve into the details of these application options, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages.

Early Decision (ED)

Early Decision is a binding agreement between the student and the college. Students who apply under ED commit to attending the college if accepted and must withdraw applications from other institutions upon acceptance. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of applying under Early Decision:

Advantages of Early Decision:

• Demonstrated interest: Applying ED signals to the college that the student is highly interested and committed to attending, which may enhance their chances of acceptance.

• Higher acceptance rates: Many colleges have much higher acceptance rates for ED applicants than for regular decision applicants, as they tend to have a smaller applicant pool. 

Furthermore, some colleges fill more than 50% of the entering class through ED–for example, Boston University, Brown University, Claremont McKenna College, Columbia University, Duke University, Emory University, Johns Hopkins University, Northeastern University, Northwestern University, Pomona College, Swarthmore College, Tulane University, Vanderbilt University, Washington University in St. Louis, and Wesleyan University. 

• Early notification: ED applicants receive their admissions decision earlier, allowing them to plan their future accordingly. Also, applicants admitted to their ED college no longer need to prepare applications to other colleges.

Disadvantages of Early Decision:

• Binding commitment: By applying ED, students must commit to attending the college if accepted, limiting their options and ability to compare financial aid packages.

• Financial considerations: Students may miss out on the opportunity to compare financial aid offers from multiple institutions, potentially leading to less favorable financial outcomes.

• Limited time for improvement: Students may not have the chance to raise their standardized test scores or improve their academic profile before submitting their application.

Most colleges and universities that offer Early Decision are private institutions. Here is a list of prominent colleges and universities that offer Early Decision:

• Amherst College

• Babson College

• Boston College

• Boston University

• Brown University

• Carleton College 

• Carnegie Mellon University

• Case Western Reserve University

• Claremont McKenna College

• Columbia University

• Cornell University

• Dartmouth College

• Duke University

• Emory University

• Fordham University 

• Harvey Mudd College

• Johns Hopkins University 

• New York University (NYU)

• Northeastern University 

• Northwestern University

• Pomona College

• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

• Rice University

• Swarthmore College

• Tufts University

• Tulane University

• Union College

• University of Chicago 

• University of Pennsylvania

• University of Virginia (public university)

• Vanderbilt University

• Wake Forest University

• Washington University in St. Louis

• Wesleyan University

• Williams College

Early Action (EA)

Early Action is a non-binding application process that allows students to submit their applications early and receive an admission decision earlier than regular decision applicants. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of applying under Early Action:

Advantages of Early Action:

• Early notification: Students receive admission decisions earlier, providing them with more time to make an informed decision.

• Comparing financial aid offers: Early Action applicants have the opportunity to compare financial aid packages from multiple institutions before making their final decision.

• Flexible options: Students are not bound to attend the institution if accepted, allowing them to explore other opportunities.

Disadvantages of Early Action:

• Competitive advantage: Some colleges may have a higher number of highly qualified applicants applying under Early Action, making the process more competitive.

• Limited time for improvement: Similar to ED, students applying EA may not have sufficient time to enhance their academic profile or standardized test scores.

Many public and private colleges and universities offer Early Action. Here is a list of outstanding colleges and universities that offer Early Action:

• Babson College

• Case Western Reserve University

• Fordham University 

• Georgetown University (restriction: cannot apply to ED schools)

• Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) (different EA deadlines for in-state and out-of-state students)

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

• Northeastern University

• Pennsylvania State University

• Purdue University

• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

• Rutgers—New Brunswick

• Tulane University

• University of Chicago

• University of Colorado—Boulder

• University of Georgia

• University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign

• University of Maryland—College Park

• University of Massachusetts—Amherst

• University of Michigan—Ann Arbor

• University of Minnesota—Twin Cities

• University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill

• University of Southern California (USC)

• University of Texas–Austin

• University of Virginia

• University of Wisconsin—Madison

• Wake Forest University (for first-generation college students)

Restrictive Early Action (REA)

Restrictive Early Action is a hybrid option between Early Decision and Early Action. While students applying under REA can submit their applications early, it is non-binding, giving them the flexibility to consider offers from other institutions. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of applying under Restrictive Early Action:

Advantages of Restrictive Early Action:

• Early notification: Students receive admission decisions earlier, enabling them to plan their future and compare offers from other institutions.

• Flexibility: REA applicants are not bound to attend the institution if accepted, allowing them to explore other opportunities.

• Demonstrated interest: Similar to ED, applying under REA demonstrates a high level of interest and commitment to the institution.

Disadvantages of Restrictive Early Action:

• Competitive advantage: Some highly selective colleges may have a substantial number of competitive applicants applying under REA, making it more challenging to secure admission.

• Limited number of applications: REA applicants are often restricted from applying to other private institutions early, while still being allowed to apply to public universities.

Here are six universities that offer Restrictive Early Action:

• California Institute of Technology (Caltech) (applying EA to private colleges for scholarships permitted)

• Harvard University (applying EA to private colleges for scholarships permitted)

• Princeton University

• Stanford University (applying EA to private colleges for scholarships permitted)

• University of Notre Dame (applying EA to private colleges permitted)

• Yale University

Multiple Rounds of Early Action and Early Decision

Many colleges and universities offer both Early Decision and Early Action options. Furthermore, some colleges and universities offer two rounds of Early Decision and/or Early Action options (also referred to as EA I, EA II, ED I, and ED II).

Here is a list of colleges and universities that offer multiple rounds of Early Decision and/or Early Action options:

• Babson College (EA, ED I, and ED II)

• Boston College (ED I and ED II)

• Boston University (ED I and ED II)

• Carleton College (ED I and ED II)

• Case Western Reserve University (EA, ED I, and ED II)

• Claremont McKenna College (ED I and ED II)

• Emory University (ED I and ED II)

• Fordham University (EA, ED I, and ED II)

• Harvey Mudd College (ED I and ED II)

• Johns Hopkins University (ED I and ED II)

• New York University (ED I and ED II)

• Northeastern University (EA, ED I, and ED II)

• Pomona College (ED I and ED II)

• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (EA, ED I, and ED II)

• Rice University (ED I and ED II)

• Swarthmore College (ED I and ED II)

• Tufts University (ED I and ED II)

• Tulane University (EA, ED I, and ED II)

• Union College (ED I and ED II)

• University of Chicago (EA, ED I, and ED II)

• University of Minnesota—Twin Cities (EA I and EA II)

• University of Rochester (ED I and ED II)

• University of Virginia (EA and ED)

• Vanderbilt University (ED I and ED II)

• Wake Forest University (EA, ED I, and ED II)

• Washington University in St. Louis (ED I and ED II)

• Wesleyan University (ED I and ED II)

Strategies for applying ED II

• After Denial under ED I: Students can consider applying to their second-choice college under ED II after they are denied admission to the college they applied to under ED or ED I. (When one door closes, another door opens.)

• Need Time to Strengthen Application: Students can consider applying to college under ED II if they need time to put together a stronger application–whether it’s writing a stronger personal statement, taking a standardized test such as the SAT or ACT, and/or developing a stronger relationship with teachers in the senior year in order for the teachers to write a stronger recommendation letter.

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