Can I apply early action to multiple schools?

Yes. Unlike early decision, early action isn't a binding offer, meaning you can apply to multiple schools. You have the option to submit several applications under early action. Even with early action decisions, you don't have to decide immediately.

Can I apply to both Harvard and MIT early action?

A Harvard Early Action applicant cannot also submit an Early Action application to Yale, Stanford, Princeton, UChicago, MIT, or Caltech (as but a few examples).

Does applying early action increase your chances?

We can see that early decision, which is binding, is most beneficial to increasing your chances for admission. Early action does seem to improve your chances of being accepted, but not as significantly as early decision. Keep in mind that these decisions also vary from school to school.

How can I apply to multiple schools at once?

Over 950 colleges accept the Common Application. With a single application, you can apply to multiple schools without having to fill out a dozen or more individual applications or complete specialized essays. The Common App helps students save time on their applications.

Can you apply regular decision after early action to the same school?

If a college does not accept you under early action, you may still have a chance to get in. The college may automatically add you to its regular admission application pool. If it does not, you are free to reapply by the regular admission deadline. Check the admission policies of each college you're interested in.

How College Admissions Works - Early Action, Early Decision, Regular Admissions & all the rest

What happens if you apply early decision to two schools?

Early decision is binding. This means if you are accepted through early decision, you are committed to attending that school, and will withdraw any applications you may have submitted for the regular deadlines at other schools. You may not apply to more than one college under early decision.

How many schools can you apply early action?

EA can come in different forms, but standard Early Action is non-binding. You can apply to as many schools EA as you'd like, and you're under no obligation to attend if you're accepted.

Is it OK to apply to multiple schools?

You should apply to the colleges you really want to attend as well as at least one safety school. Most experts recommend you apply to a couple of reach schools, several schools you feel are a great match for you academically and otherwise and a couple of safety schools.

Can you accept admission to two schools?

Double depositing means putting down a deposit, and thus accepting admission, at more than one college. Since a student can't attend multiple colleges, it is considered unethical.

Is 20 colleges too many to apply to?

While there's no cap on the number of schools you can apply to, some students, especially those from affluent backgrounds who want to go to a selective college, can go overboard, applying to more than 20 or 30 colleges. Personally, I would strongly discourage any student from applying to more than 15 colleges.

Is there a downside to applying early action?

Your record might stand out more when competing with those in the regular admissions cycle. You can't compare and negotiate financial aid offers unless you receive them form several schools. Early on, it's much harder to tell where close friends (or even enemies) may be going to college.

Does anyone get rejected early action?

Applying early action has three possibles outcomes: acceptance, denial, or deferred admission. The admissions office may defer your application if you're not a candidate for early action. In that case, the admissions panel will reevaluate your application with the regular decision applicants.

What happens if you get accepted early action and don't go?

Since early decision is binding, applicants should only apply under this admission plan after careful consideration. Breaking an early decision offer can come with major penalties — some high schools may even withhold transcripts from other colleges.

What happens if you apply restrictive early action to multiple schools?

Restrictive Early Action: Like early action, REA is non-binding, but students may only apply to one private school with REA. They also can't apply Early Decision to other schools.

Can you apply Ed to Penn and EA to other schools?

Early decision applicants may apply to non-binding admissions processes, including rolling admissions processes, at other institutions.

Is it better to apply early action or regular to Harvard?

Is it easier to be accepted if I apply Restrictive Early Action? Harvard does not offer an advantage to students who apply early. While admit rates tend to be higher in Restrictive Early Action, this reflects the remarkable strength of the applicant pool rather than a benefit of application timing.

Can colleges see how many other schools you apply to?

For the most part, the answer to this question is: no. College admissions officers don't have secret meetings to gossip about which of the incoming freshmen applied to their schools.

Can you reject a college after accepting?

Can you reject a college after accepting? Certainly! From the day you accept your acceptance offer to the day of your graduation, you can choose to no longer attend the university you're currently at. This is even true for those who accept an early decision acceptance offer, which are usually binding.

What happens if you accept admission to a college and change your mind?

Can I back down after accepting an undergraduate admission offer? Of course, you are never obligated to attend a school if you don't want to. At any point, you can say you no longer wish to attend that college. However, if you've already sent in your enrollment deposit, you will lose that.

Does applying to too many colleges hurt your chances?

The College Board recommends that high school seniors narrow down their application list to five to eight schools. It's okay to stray a little outside this range, but as a general rule of thumb you should aim to reach those numbers because sending more than ten applications can have drastic consequences.

Is 12 colleges too many to apply to?

In general, most students apply to between 8 and 12 colleges. This is a good range to aim for, provided that the applications you submit represent a broad variety of colleges. Ideally, you want to apply to at least two safety, four target, and two reach schools.

Is applying to 25 colleges too much?

Even the Common Application recognizes this and only lets students apply to a maximum of 20 colleges. However, many students get around this by creating multiple Common Application accounts. But when it comes to making smart application choices, even 20 colleges is too many to apply to.

Is it harder to get into a school early action?

The admission rates in the early application pool also tend to be higher, even though the pool is typically more competitive than the regular round. However, because the early round is full of extremely competitive applicants, it's not always the best choice for every student.

Can I apply both restrictive early action and early action?

Restrictive early action is a middle ground between early action and early decision. Students may only apply to their first-choice early action institution, with some exceptions. They cannot apply to any early decision schools, but can apply to other early action schools.

Can you apply both early action and regular decision?

Generally, you apply to multiple colleges through Early Action (some schools only allow single-choice Early Action) and apply to other schools via Regular Decision. Early Action lets you compare financial aid packages and other offers, giving you more time to find your best-fit college at the right price.