What is the difference between early decision and early action in college admissions?
Understanding the difference between early decision and early action is essential when choosing the right admissions strategy. Early action is a non-binding option, allowing students to apply early and receive decisions ahead of regular deadlines without being required to commit. On the other hand, early decision is binding. If you’re accepted, you must attend that school. Because of this commitment, applying early decision can sometimes give you a competitive edge in the admissions process.
Still unsure which path is right for you? We’ll help you weigh the pros and cons of early action vs. early decision and craft a strategy that aligns with your goals.
Expert early decision and early action admissions counseling
Expert early decision and early action admissions counseling
Work one-on-one with your Prepory admissions coach to build a custom application strategy tailored to EA/ED applicants. From choosing the right campuses to preparing each part of your application, you'll receive expert guidance every step of the way.
Get a comprehensive evaluation of your academic record, activities, and personal background. Your coach will help identify opportunities to strengthen your profile and align it with what early decision and early action admissions officers are looking for.
We help identify the best-fit early action and early decision schools based on your goals. Since early decision is binding, we’ll help you understand the commitment and apply to a school that’s the right fit for you.
Work with your coach to build a rigorous course schedule that reflects the competitiveness of early action and early decision admissions. Together, you’ll identify the right classes to take and work to strengthen your application ahead of early deadlines.
Build a polished, college-ready resume that clearly highlights your academic, extracurricular, and leadership achievements. Learn how to present your experiences in a way that complements your essays and strengthens your overall application.
Get expert support in crafting compelling personal statements and supplemental essays tailored to each college’s expectations. Your coach will help you brainstorm, draft, and revise essays that showcase your values, experiences, and fit for each school.
Early decision and early action personal statement support
Your personal statement is one of the most important parts of your EA/ED application. It’s your chance to communicate your academic journey, interest in your chosen major, and career goals.
With our early action and early decision personal statement writing help, get professional, one-on-one feedback from our team of Writing Specialists to refine your personal statement and ensure it aligns with what admissions officers are looking for.
Early Decision vs Early Action
| Early Action | Early Decision |
|---|---|
| Not binding: Students are not required to attend if admitted | Binding: Students must attend if accepted |
| Application deadlines are usually around November 1 | Application deadline is November 1 |
| Offered at many private and public universities | Mostly offered at private universities, and a few public universities |
| Slight boost in acceptance rates, especially for legacy applicants and recruited athletes | Major boost in acceptance rates; the best way to show demonstrated interest |
| You can apply to multiple early action schools (unless restricted) | You can apply to only one early decision school at a time |
| Ideal for students who want early results with flexibility | Best for students with a clear top-choice college and strong desire to attend |
Frequently asked questions for EA/ED Applicants
Early action decisions are usually released in December, though some colleges announce results in January. This earlier timeline gives students a head start in the college admissions process compared to regular decision applicants.
Yes, early decision is binding. If you’re accepted, you must enroll and withdraw all other applications. This strong commitment shows demonstrated interest, which colleges value and often reward with a higher chance of admission.
You can only apply to one school early decision because it’s a binding commitment. However, you can still apply early action or regular decision to other schools as long as those schools don’t have restrictions that conflict with your ED application.
Students can submit any essay for comprehensive feedback from our team of essay review experts. Our Writing Team will review their materials and provide grammatical, structural, organizational, and content feedback within three (3) business days. The written materials can be submitted as many times as needed.
Through one-on-one advising sessions, students meet with their coach to receive individualized counseling following their personalized syllabus and program milestones. Students work together with their coach to brainstorm, curate, and form their application collateral. These one-on-one advising sessions occur through Zoom video conferences and are 60 minutes long.
Meet with one of our college admissions experts
Ready to maximize your chances with early decision or early action?
Our college admissions consultants help you craft a compelling early application to top colleges. Book your initial consultation to get started.
Once you book your initial consultation, here’s what you can look forward to:
Profile assessment:
Assess your student’s academic profile and higher education goals with an expert from our enrollment team.
Program overview:
Our team will provide you with detailed information about our program and how it works.
Tips and resources:
Our experts will share tips and resources on how to navigate the U.S. college admissions process.
Get answers:
We’ll address your application worries and answer questions about how we can make a difference.
Please note that a parent or guardian must be on the consultation for high school students.
Please note that a parent or guardian must be on the consultation for high school students.
