“Should I apply for early action or regular action?” This is one of the most important decisions college applicants must make when they apply to universities. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it’s necessary to understand the difference between early action and regular decision to increase the opportunity of being admitted by the first-choice university.
What is Early Action vs Regular Decision?
Early Action (EA)
Early Action (EA) may have different names at different colleges. For example, Columbia Law School calls it “Early Review,” and the University of Pennsylvania Law School calls it “Early Notification “.
Non-binding: Students applying to EA are not required to attend the university if accepted. Students should generally reply by May 1st of each year whether they accept the offer.
Non-restrictive: There is no restriction on your early application to other schools at the same time. For example, if you have applied to the University of Chicago, you can also apply to other universities.
Single-choice Early Action & Restrictive Early Action: They are restrictive. Therefore, once you have chosen Single Choice Early Action and Restrictive Early Action, you cannot apply for EA from other schools.
Regular Decision (RD)
Regular Decision is the most common application form. The opening time and deadline of RD are usually the latest.
Deadline: January 1 of the following year, and the time for issuing results is usually mid-late March to April 1st of the following year.
Non-binding: Applicants can apply for regular admission to multiple universities at the same time; after admission, they can decide whether to go or not.
Colleges with Highest Early Decision Acceptance Rates
It is important to note that not all colleges offer the option of applying to ED or EA. Colleges offering ED or EA applications may have different deadlines so students must prepare in advance. Below are the universities whose EA acceptance rates are higher than RD acceptance rates.
Tulane University
EA acceptance rate: 17%
RD acceptance rate: 3%
Tulane University is a private institution founded in 1834. It has a total of 7,295 undergraduate students until the fall of 2023, with tuition and fees of $68,678. Tulane University is located in New Orleans. Its law school is on the downtown campus. Besides, its School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine is the only specialized school in the United States.
There are more than 200 student organizations in which students can participate. Women can get additional support through the Newcomb College Institute, which hosts seminars and guest lectures and provides mentors for young women.
Tulane University offers both ED and EA. ED’s acceptance rate is 68%, higher than EA’s. However, One significant difference between EA and ED is that EA is non-binding, and the application deadline for Tulane University is November 15, half a month later than ED, which gives you more time to prepare.
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
EA acceptance rate: 23%
RD acceptance rate: 10%
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a famous public university founded in 1789. It is one of the three earliest public universities in the history of the United States. Known as “public Ivy”. UNC has a total of 20,880 undergraduates until the fall of 2023. It has multiple colleges, and the largest one is the College of Undergraduate Arts and Sciences.
UNC is also one of the few schools that provide EA among the universities with higher rankings. Looking at its EA vs RD acceptance rates, EA’s acceptance rate is higher than that of RD. Therefore, why not try its EA?
Florida State University
EA acceptance rate: 37%
RD acceptance rate: 15%
Established in 1851, Florida State University is a public institution. The university is located in Tallahassee, the capital of Florida. FSU is also a Party School offering more than 600 student organizations and 18 NCAA Division I sports teams. Students can enjoy themselves and make friends here.
In addition, Florida State University has programs in Florence, Italy; London, Britain; Panama City, Panama; and Valencia, Spain. Its early action acceptance rate vs regular is 37% and 15%, so if you are interested in this university, try the Early Action for yourself.
Reed College
EA acceptance rate: 40%
RD acceptance rate: 18%
Reed College, a private institution that follows its tradition of undergraduate liberal arts education, also offers a Master of Liberal Arts degree in which graduate students do not have to specify a direction of study and can design their curriculum as they wish. Undergraduates at Reed College can participate in a five-year dual degree program, completing a liberal arts degree at Reed in three years and another at a partner institution in two years.
For instance, students can finish their engineering degree at Caltech and Columbia University or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. If you want a dual degree, you can consider Reed College, with a 40% EA acceptance rate, much higher than RD’s. There is a big chance of being admitted to the university.
Union College
EA acceptance rate: 58%
RD acceptance rate: 35%
Union College is a private liberal arts college. Founded in 1795, it is one of the oldest universities in the US. The academic calendar at Union College is divided into three 10-week semesters. Students can take three courses each semester and have a longer winter vacation. All freshmen who live in residence halls are randomly assigned to one of seven Minerva Houses, an academic and social community where seniors and faculty members also live.
In addition to undergraduate programs, Union College offers accelerated professional degree programs in conjunction with other schools that allow students to graduate from Albany Law School with a law degree in six years or Albany Medical School with a medical degree in eight years. With extensive overseas exchange programs, about 60% of its students have had international study experience. Union College attracts many applicants with its high Early Action acceptance rate.
Trinity University
EA acceptance rate: 59%
RD acceptance rate: 12%
Trinity University is a historic liberal arts college located in San Antonio, Texas, United States, and is known for the quality of its teaching. It offers a total of 6 degrees, and students can choose 42 majors and 57 minors flexibly. Trinity University was founded in 1869 from three Presbyterian villages that had fallen apart during the Civil War. It is affiliated with the United Presbyterian Church of America.
The abundant funds it receives enable all its teachers and students to enjoy high-quality teaching resources. Undergraduates must complete an assignment requirement designed to provide a well-rounded liberal arts education. More than 40% of students take advantage of study abroad programs worldwide. The university is an EA college with a nearly 60% EA acceptance rate.
Conclusion
This blog introduces the difference between Early Action vs. Regular Decision. Each of them has cons and pros. Applicants should make decisions based on their own individual goals, the timelines of their target universities, and the preparations they make. Besides, by comparing EA vs RD acceptance rates, we compile several universities with higher EA acceptance rates for your reference.
FAQ
Is it better to apply early action or regular decision?
It depends on your purpose.
If you want a higher admission rate and can prepare your application materials in a short time, EA may be more suitable for you. Not all universities offer EA. If you have more choices and more time to prepare for your application, Regular Decision can be your choice.
What are the disadvantages of early action?
- Limited options: Some universities do not offer Early Action, so the universities you can apply may be limited.
- Insufficient preparation: Higher acceptance of Early Action makes more students apply to universities blindly without full preparation.
What does regular decision mean?
Regular Decision is the most common application method in every university. There are no restrictions. Students only need to submit application materials and complete an online application before the application deadline. Each student can apply to many schools in the same application season.
