Early Decision vs. Early Action: A Guide for Parents

Applying “early” to an institution is a popular choice for students who have identified a college or university as their top-choice and best fit. This presumes that the student and his/her family have learned a great deal about the institution early on in the college search process, and have visited campus at least once, which often provides the best indication of “fit” between student and school.

Although early admissions plans may have incentives such as early financial aid awards and priority housing selection and course registration, it is important that students do not feel pressured to apply early to any institution. Many students and families require more time to determine the student’s best fit, in which case the regular admissions process (often known as “Regular Decision”) may be most advantageous.

It is critical to note that all institutions’ early admissions plans are not created equal. If a student is interested in applying early to an institution, families must carefully research the early admissions plan of that institution, including any additional requirements for students applying under the early admissions plan, the risks and benefits of applying early, and whether or not an acceptance to the institution is binding.  This illustrates important distinctions between “Early Decision” plans and “Early Action” plans, which is further explained below:

Early Action

Commonly referred to as “EA,” Early Action is a non-binding early admissions plan that requires students to submit their admissions applications in the fall of senior year, usually by mid- to late-November. Institutions will typically notify EA applicants of an admissions decision by early January. Students admitted under Early Action plans may wait until May 1 (the National Candidates Reply Date) to make their final enrollment choices, and are not required to enroll at the institutions to which they were admitted under an EA plan (this is the non-binding nature of the plan).

The advantages to applying under Early Action plans generally include peace of mind for early admitted students and more time for families to make a final enrollment decision as well as compare financial aid packages, which are often distributed earlier to Early Action students. In most instances, students may apply Early Action to more than one institution as a result of the non-binding nature of this plan.

If a student is considering applying Early Action to a top choice college/university, it is important that the student be aware of his/her probability of being admitted to the institution under the Early Action plan versus the Regular Decision plan; at some institutions, the Early Action pool is a made up of higher caliber applicants than the Regular Decision pool, making the EA admissions process more competitive.

It is also important for students to understand the possible outcomes of applying under EA plans which are typically an acceptance, a denial, or a deferral to the Regular Decision pool, in which case the students’ application will be evaluated again within the institution’s regular admissions process.

Early Decision

Commonly referred to as “ED,” Early Decision is a binding contract between the Early Decision applicant and the college/university; meaning, if a student is admitted under the Early Decision plan, he/she is expected to submit an admissions deposit to that institution and complete their enrollment. This commitment includes withdrawing all other applications to colleges/universities to which the student may have applied.

Students may only apply within one institution’s Early Decision plan. Guidance counselors and college admissions counselors take the Early Decision commitment very seriously, and require that a contract be signed by the student, parent, and guidance counselor agreeing to the terms of the institution’s Early Decision plan. Given these factors, it is essential that the student and family be certain that if admitted, the student will enroll at the institution to which he/she applied under the Early Decision plan.

Early Decision deadlines are typically in early fall of senior year, and students often receive their admissions decisions by mid-December, which again may include an acceptance, denial, or deferral to the Regular Decision pool. Finally, families must find out the institution’s policy in the event that the family deems the financial aid package insufficient for their son/daughter who was admitted within the Early Decision plan.

Sacred Heart University offers applicants for full-time undergraduate admissions two options for applying to the University: Early Decision (binding) with a deadline of December 1, and Regular Decision, which is a Rolling Admissions (first-come, first-served) process with a priority deadline of March 1.