Our Guide to EA, REA, ED, and Regular Decision Admissions

What are the differences and which is best for you?

When it comes to the strategy behind applying early, a few main benefits come to mind. First, there is (usually) a slight bump in acceptance rates of early applicants compared to regular decision applicants. Second, applying early to a target school can offer some security during the rest of the application season. And third, many schools require students to apply early if they want to be considered for merit-based financial aid.

“I recommend my students apply Early Action to at least one target school because when they get their acceptance letter in December, waiting around for other decisions in the months to come won’t feel so stressful. It’s not just good for the student, it’s good for their whole family and support system to have some peace of mind.”

Alex Loveless, Founder and CEO of Admissions Angle

There are a lot of acronyms to remember in this process, but don’t worry. We’re here to make sense of this for you. Here are the types of admission to understand: Early Action (EA), Restrictive Early Action (REA), Early Decision (ED), Regular Decision (RD), and Rolling. Some schools also offer a second round of Early Decision (ED II), another early option with later deadlines. Though we won’t dive into rolling admissions, it’s important to note that the early bird gets the worm! 

Be mindful that for many schools, applicants MUST apply early to be considered for merit-based financial aid.