Is there an advantage to applying early action?

In other words, by applying Early Action, you'll find out the details of your packages sooner, so you can begin steering your research toward additional scholarships or setting up appointments with financial aid counselors to discuss next steps.

Is it better to apply early action or regular?

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.

What are the benefits of early action?

Early action deadlines usually fall at the same time as early decision. The obvious advantage of early action over early decision is the opportunity it gives you to apply to, and ultimately compare financial aid packages from several schools.

Does applying early action increase your chances?

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. Some value early action more than others.

What is the disadvantage of applying early action?

Reduced financial aid opportunities: Students who apply under ED plans receive offers of admission and financial aid simultaneously and so will not be able to compare financial aid offers from other colleges. For students who absolutely need financial aid, applying early may be a risky option.

Should You Apply EARLY ACTION? 👀👀

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

If there isn't a legitimate reason for not attending the college, then there may be consequences for doing so. The institution may inform your high school. More importantly, the college has the right to inform other colleges, and this could cost you your accepted spot at those institutions.

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.

Does anyone get rejected early action?

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.

Do you get less financial aid if you apply early action?

Reduced financial aid opportunities: Students who apply under ED plans receive offers of admission and financial aid simultaneously and will not be able to compare financial aid offers from other colleges. For students who absolutely need financial aid, applying early may be a risky option.

Does early action give you more financial aid?

Applying early decision might improve your odds of being accepted with certainty to your dream school, but it might limit your financial aid opportunity at the same time.

Why do I regret applying early decision?

But if you do apply early decision, many schools treat your acceptance to their program as binding, meaning you can't apply to any other schools and then compare and contrast their programs — and (don't miss this part like I did!) the financial aid benefits they're offering to you.

How many early action should you apply to?

In most cases, you can apply early action to as many schools as you want. Early action is a non-binding application, and you're free to turn down any school you apply early action to and get accepted by. However, a small number of schools have restrictive early action policies.

How many colleges should you apply too?

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 early action good or bad?

For colleges, early decision is a win-win

For starters, increasing the likelihood that a student will say yes improves a college's yield — or the percent of students who choose to enroll after being admitted — which is an important statistic for schools.

Do all early action applicants get deferred?

Deferral numbers differ from school to school, and many don't make deferral statistics public. At highly selective institutions, it's not unheard of to defer a majority of early applicants, as the early application pool is so competitive and it's hard to reject many well-qualified applicants.

Can I apply early action to multiple colleges?

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.

What grades do early action look at?

Keep earning strong grades

Many selective universities now actually require the submission of one's first quarter senior year grades with early applications. Boston University, Duke University, Tufts University, and Babson College all mandate the submissions of Q1 grades for all who apply early.

Can you apply to the same college after being rejected early action?

The only time you can't reapply as a freshman applicant is if you try to apply again in the same admissions timeframe as your first application. (For example, if you were rejected Early Action/Early Decision, you can't reapply Regular Decision for that same admissions cycle.)

Is it OK to miss early action deadline?

Yes, even if you miss the priority deadline, there is still a chance you can get accepted at a school with rolling admissions. While you have a better chance of admission if you submit your application materials before the deadline, as long as there are still seats open in the class, you have a chance of acceptance.

How long does it take for a college to accept or reject you early action?

It can take a few weeks to a few months to hear back for a college admissions decision, depending on the type of application you submitted. Early applicants — such as early decision or early action — will generally hear back in December while regular decision applicants will receive their admission decision in April.

Can you get rejected early action or only deferred?

As previously stated, students who apply through Early Decision and Early Action, may receive a deferral letter, stating that they have neither been accepted nor rejected, but that their application will be reconsidered during the next admission cycle.

Can 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 18 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 applying to 20 colleges bad?

Having a lengthy list of colleges is not necessarily a bad thing, but applying to too many schools can be both time-consuming and expensive. When it comes to application fees, cost can quickly add up. I would suggest aiming for a balanced college list, typically around 8-12 schools.

When should I hear back if I applied early action?

Generally, early action applications are due in the month of November. Schools with early action admission usually contact applicants with their decision sometime between December 1 and January 31. However, there are some colleges that wait until mid-February to let applicants know if they got in.