![]() Your child can receive admission decisions often by the end of December. Non-binding (i.e., not obligated to enroll) Let’s summarize the differences between early action and early decision with a simplified list of pros and cons: Early Action pros and cons To get an estimate of how much it will cost your family for your child to attend a particular college, your family should calculate Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and use Net Price Calculators (NPC). However, financial aid should be considered when developing your child’s college list, not just after they’ve been admitted. Colleges are typically gracious about this. Specifically, if the net cost of the college is completely unaffordable for your family, you can ask the admissions committee to release your child from the obligation to attend there. Nevertheless, there is one well-known way to get released from the early decision bind. If your child is accepted to multiple schools via early action, your family will have the opportunity to compare financial aid packages and make the decision that fits your budget and goals.Ĭonversely, because early decision programs are binding, your child will not be able to choose among other schools that may have offered more financial aid and, consequently, a lower net cost. (Suggested reading: Ivy League Acceptance Rates: What You're Up Against) Financial aid This may also apply to elite colleges that offer single-choice early action, such as Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. And because the decision is binding, the school will be protecting their yield rate (i.e., the percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll there), which factors into college rankings.Īnother possible reason for higher early decision admission rates is that early decision applicants often, on average, have stronger grades, standardized test scores, and overall applications relative to the regular decision pool. ![]() By applying early decision, your child will be demonstrating much-appreciated serious interest to their top-choice college. The third possible outcome is that your child’s application will be rejected outright.Īdmission rates for early decision programs are somewhat higher than early action and regular decision programs. ![]() Moreover, if your child is not accepted early action, their application will likely get deferred to the regular decision pool and get evaluated once more. They simply allow your child to find out sooner whether or not they’ve gotten in. Generally speaking, early action programs do not significantly increase your child’s odds of getting into colleges, especially at highly selective schools. In other words, they are non-binding, but you can only apply to one.) Admission odds (Note: Some colleges offer single-choice early action programs, also called “restrictive early action,” which operate in the usual way that early action programs do except for the fact that your child cannot apply anywhere else via early action or early decision. However, if they get into the early decision program, they’ll have to withdraw all other applications. Your child may simultaneously apply to early decision and early action programs. ![]() Because of early decision’s binding nature, students are allowed to apply to only one school’s early decision. On the other hand, early decision programs are binding, meaning your child will be obligated to attend the school they’re accepted to as long as the financial aid package is considered adequate by your family (more on this below). Therefore, your child can apply to as many schools early action as they would like. That way, your child can apply via regular decision with their best foot forward.Įarly action decisions are non-binding, meaning your child will not be obligated to enroll in the school(s) they’re accepted to. Instead, they should devote more attention to improving their test scores and grades. However, if your child’s ACT/SAT score or GPA do not meet or exceed the admissions profile for colleges on their early action and early decision list, it would make sense for them to hold off on applying early. Similarly, early decision programs allow your child to apply to college early-also usually in November-and receive an admission decision before regular decision applicants.īoth early action and early decision offer the potential for your child to complete their college application process ahead of time-even before the holidays (!)-and put an end to the associated stress. early decision: How do they compare? Deadlines and decision datesĮarly action programs allow your child to apply to colleges by an early deadline-most commonly November 1 or November 15-and receive admissions decisions sometime in December or January, way before regular decision applicants.
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