Deadline Drama: Early, Regular, and Everything In Between — Part 2: Early Action

Lynn Hofstad
May 4
4 min read

The myriad of application deadline options can be dizzying and confusing. Many colleges have up to five different application dates. For students and families encountering the many options for the first time, it can be hard to know which application deadline to choose. This series of blogs describes the different types of application deadlines and the advantages, drawbacks, and important things to note for each type.

This blog is the second in a series describing the different types of application deadlines.

Part 2: Early Action

Early action is less commitment-focused counterpart to early decision. Whereas, early decision is a binding agreement, early action is not.* In fact, I would argue that early action is more like regular decision, than early decision.

Early action is simply applying early, and in turn receiving a decision from the college earlier. Whereas most regular decision deadlines are in January or February, the deadline for early action is moved up a few months to October or November. This also means that students typically receive a decision from the college by December or January rather than having to wait until the spring when regular decisions come out.

Submitting an application early does require a bit more coordination with the various people who contribute to a student's application. While many high school counseling centers are prepared for the regular decision deadline rush, you will need to make sure both the counseling center and recommendation letter writers are aware for your accelerated timeline.

Jump Early or Hold Off? Making the Early Action Decision

Considering this background information, why might a student choose to apply early action, and who might be better waiting for a different application deadline? To make that decision, I suggest considering the advantages and drawbacks of early action. Here are a few to consider:

Advantages

Early action enables students to be in the initial pool of applicants (gaining some of the same statistical advantages of early decision) without the commitment of early decision.*
Dividing the application process between two deadlines spreads out the work distributing it into two more manageable groups. Having two separate deadlines might also be helpful motivation for students who tend to procrastinate.

For those who experience anxiety about the application process, an early acceptance might provide reassurance that alleviates their concerns.

Drawbacks

The accelerated timeline means less preparation time. This might not pose an issue for students who have started the application process early, but for those who wait until the beginning of their senior year to prepare their application, it can lead to a very rushed process, potentially resulting in a less polished application.
While there is a still a statistical advantage to early action, it typically does not match the same advantage of early decision, yet the acceptance rate is more favorable than regular decision.
For those who struggled with the transition into high school, but have sustained a strong upward grade trend since their freshman year, submitting the application before receiving first-quarter senior year grades means they miss the opportunity to showcase further academic progress.

Important Things to Note

Some colleges offer restrictive early action (sometimes called single choice early action). This follows the same accelerated timeline as early action, but comes with strings attached. Whereas early action is unconditional, applying restrictive early action means students commit not to apply to a binding early decision at any other college. Some colleges also restrict applying early action at any other institution, not just early decision. It's important to know what type of early action a college uses. Students applying regular early action can still pursue early decision at their first choice institution, but those applying to restrictive early action cannot.

As with early decision, not every institution offers early action. However, while here a only a handful of public institutions that offer early decision, many private and public colleges offer the early action option. The dates vary during in the fall so be sure to carefully check the dates for each individual application carefully.

Does the Early Bird Really Get the Worm?

The Bottom Line of Early Action

In my opinion, if a student can get their application together (and get those contributing to the application in line), early action is a great option to distribute the application workload and provide early reassurance (or give time to add a few more colleges to the list). As Becky Munsterer Sabky aptly states: between early decision and early action, "early action is clearly the sexier of the two options. Early action provides admissions assurance without the commitment."** That said, each student will need to weigh whether the dip in statistical advantage is worth having more options later in the decision process.

Opting for early action requires that a student have their ducks in a row earlier. However, preparing that row of ducks might lead to the early bird catching the worm. (Apologies, I couldn't resist the metaphor.)

*Restrictive early action does come with strings, though it isn't binding.

**Valedictorians at the Gate, 145.