Action vs. Early Decision: Which Is Right for You?

If you’re considering applying to college early, you can decide between early action or early decision. As a college applicant, deciding between early action and early decision can be a challenging part of the admissions process. If you know which school you want to attend or have a top choice, early decision and early action application plans allow you to submit your application and receive your admissions decision earlier than the regular applicants.

Although only some schools offer these options, you can choose from approximately 450 colleges and universities. Understanding the differences between these two options and the benefits and drawbacks of each is essential to making an informed decision. 

Read on to explore key details about early action and early decision plans, including benefits, drawbacks, and important differences that can help you choose the path that’s right for you.

What is early action?

Early action is an application plan in which a learner applies to a university earlier than the regular deadline, and the university notifies them before the normal notification date. If accepted, you will have an extended period of time to decide whether or not you will attend that university. If deferred, admissions will wait until the regular decision date to notify you of your acceptance. 

Common early action timeline

Typically, the timeline for early action typically requires you to submit your application in November or December, and you receive an admissions decision within a month or two, usually in late December, January, or February. If you apply early action, you will still have until May 1—the National College Decision Day, notwithstanding FAFSA delays in recent years—to accept your admissions offer from the school. 

Benefits of early action

You may have various reasons for choosing this option. If you’re still deciding, consider some of the benefits of applying early action, which include:

Higher chance of getting accepted

If you apply early action, you compete with a smaller pool of applicants, potentially increasing your chance of being accepted to the university or college. This isn’t a given, however. Some schools have the same acceptance rate among early-action and standard applicants.

That said, many schools view early action applicants as prepared, motivated, and seriously interested in their institution, making them more likely to accept those applicants.

Finishing the college application process sooner

Once you have submitted your early action applications, you will likely receive an admissions decision by late December, January, or early February. If you apply, receive admission, and commit to a school in the fall of your senior year, you could complete the college application process sooner than if you applied with a regular decision plan. 

Freedom to choose between different colleges

When you receive acceptance to multiple universities through an early action plan, you still have the option to choose which institution you wish to attend, as early action is nonbinding. You can review the financial offers from different schools and take your time to decide which college is right for you. In most cases, you will have until May 1 to inform the university whether or not you will be attending, but you will have the advantage of a longer period of time to think things over.

Drawbacks of early action

What are some of the cons associated with applying early action? Several downsides of this option to consider include:

Earlier deadline

While an early action plan means you receive an earlier admissions decision, one of the stipulations of this earlier notification is that you will have to fill out and submit your college applications sooner than the regular deadline. You may also have less time to complete your application materials for other colleges if you aren’t accepted to your early decision school. Because of this, you may want to prepare backup applications for other programs that you can send if needed. 

Potential deferral to regular decision

If you receive a deferral under an early action application, you must wait until the regular decision date to receive an admissions decision. Doing so gives you a second chance to improve upon your application, but it does mean that the admissions process will take longer than expected. Despite submitting your materials early, you may have to wait longer than you anticipated to receive a decision.

What is early decision?

Early decision is an application plan that binds the learner to the university, meaning you are under obligation to attend the school if accepted. If you decide to apply early decision, you are financially and mentally prepared to go to that specific school. You may apply to multiple schools with an early action plan, but you can only apply to one school early decision; it should be the school you would choose above all others if accepted. 

Common early decision timeline

The standard early decision timeline is to submit your application by November and receive an admission decision by late December or early January. Some schools offer an Early Decision II plan, which still upholds the binding contract but pushes the application deadline to December or January. Under this plan, you will typically receive an admissions decision around mid-February.

Benefits of early decision

Just as with early action, it’s essential to consider the benefits of applying early decision. Some of the primary advantages include:

Decisiveness

If you have identified your top choice school, early decision is a beneficial path for you to consider. When you receive acceptance to a school for which you have applied early decision, you have already made your choice and are free from the stress of deciding between a variety of schools. You will have confirmation of your college plans ahead of learners who apply using the regular decision option.

Higher chance of admission

A smaller applicant pool means less competition for a spot at the university you wish to attend. As an early decision plan is binding, it demonstrates a stronger interest to the admissions team that you will attend the school if accepted. This promotes a stronger likelihood of your admittance to that college.

Earlier financial clarity

When you receive your acceptance to a school you have applied to with an early decision plan, you will receive the financial aid package with the acceptance letter. You will have an idea of what you will be paying much earlier than the other applicants, and in some cases, if it does not suit your needs, you may request to be released from the contract. 

Drawbacks of early decision

Although the benefits can be significant, it’s equally critical to consider the potential disadvantages you could face. The drawbacks of early decision include:

Early preparation of materials

If you are applying early decision, this means you are certain that you will attend your school of choice if accepted. It also requires you to prepare all application materials well in advance. You must write, edit, and review essays and supplemental materials and gather test scores and your academic transcript at the beginning of your senior year. When deciding whether to apply early, it’s important to consider whether your application would be stronger later in the year or whether you can put your best application forward early. 

You will have minimal time to adjust your materials if you are unhappy with your results. You will also need to be aware of how much you are willing to pay for college and what your financial plan looks like earlier in the process than with standard admissions, as you will not have the chance to compare admissions offers.

Binding

Early decision is a binding contract, which, while ensuring a higher chance of acceptance, can result in your obligated commitment to that school. The drawback of the binding nature is that if you change your mind, you must still uphold the agreement to attend the school for which you applied as an early decision. 

Inability to compare financial aid awards

The binding aspect of the early decision also affects your ability to compare the financial aid awards from other institutions. If you receive acceptance to a college for which you have applied early decision, you have agreed to commit to the financial aid package awarded to you by that institution, regardless of the offers from other schools. Financial affordability is the main reason students back out of early decision contracts, as you are only aware of what you are paying after receiving your acceptance.

Key differences between early action vs. early decision

The two are similar. However, early action and early decision do have a few key differences, including the following: 

Binding aspect

Early decision is binding; early action is not. If you apply for early decision, you must sign a contract or waiver declaring that you will attend that university if accepted. If you apply early action, you may apply to multiple different schools, and you are under no obligation to attend the universities if you are accepted. 

Decisiveness of preferred school

Early decision applicants will only apply to one school, which should be the top choice institution. Early action applicants can apply to multiple schools, making it a better option if you are still considering different colleges and universities and have yet to decide on one definitive preferred school. 

Financial clarity

If you apply early decision, you are most likely content with any amount of financial aid the school provides. You may receive your financial aid package sooner than if you applied early action. If you choose early action, you’ll be able to compare the financial aid from different schools after receiving your offers of admission. 

How to decide which is right for you

Both early action and early decision plans are great options if you are a top-performing applicant and have a clear preference for the school or schools you wish to attend. To decide which application plan is right for you, consider the pros and cons of early action versus early decision.

If a school accepts you and you would attend over any other university no matter the cost, you should apply early decision to increase your chance of admission. If you are equally interested in a few different schools, but do not want to commit to one without receiving further details, you should apply early action.

Next steps

Early action plans allow you to apply to several colleges and universities early. In contrast, early decision plans require you to apply to only your top choice school and accept an acceptance offer if given. After deciding which application plan is right for you, list the required materials for each college application and write down the application deadlines and notification dates of admissions decisions. Planning ahead can make the college admissions process smoother and less stressful. 

On Coursera, you can explore courses like U101: Understanding College and College Life and Applying to US Universities to understand the college admissions process and the necessary materials when submitting applications to universities.

You can also complete a fully online college degree on Coursera, such as Illinois Tech's Bachelor of Information Technology, the University of London's BSc Computer Science, or the University of North Texas' Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences—all on Coursera.