Most colleges and universities have multiple application deadlines, and some of these deadlines have their own obligations/processes. It’s important to understand them, which I’ve outlined below.
Generally, deciding which application is better for you boils down to the tension of additional time to work on application materials vs. higher early acceptance rates. Earlier application deadlines have higher acceptance rates (smaller applicant pool + applying early can show particular enthusiasm for a school). They also require you to, quite literally, apply earlier; your essays might benefit from more time, or you might want to retake a standardized test.
It’s also important to note that there could be a financial aid and scholarship consideration depending on the school you’re applying to. Some programs provide aid and scholarships on a first come first serve or an early priority basis, so there’s an advantage to applying to those programs early. On the other hand, applying early to a select set of colleges could limit your ability to compare financial aid and scholarship offers. I would encourage everyone to explore specific schools’ financial aid calculators and scholarship opportunities → I’ve written a whole blog on this, which can be found here.
Early Action
Early Action allows students to apply to colleges earlier than the regular deadline to demonstrate their interest in certain schools and to generally have a higher chance of acceptance from a smaller early application pool. Applicants receive admissions decisions early, usually by December or January, but are not obligated to attend if accepted.
Restrictive Early Action
Similar to Early Action, but with restrictions on the number of other colleges to which students can apply early. This typically means applicants can only apply to one college early under this plan.
Early Decision
Unlike Early Action, Early Decision is binding. Students who apply Early Decision commit to attending the college if accepted. It typically has a deadline in November, and applicants are notified of their admissions decision by December. Some schools offer a second early decision option that’s due later in the admissions process as well.
Regular Decision
This is the standard deadline for most colleges. Applications are typically between December and January, and admissions decisions are typically released in March or April. There's no obligation to attend if accepted.
Rolling Admissions
Though less common, some colleges and universities have rolling admissions timelines. Typically, there is a priority admissions deadline within the overall rolling admissions timeline. Additionally, acceptance odds generally favor those who apply earlier.
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This blog post is a part of YourEDU’s Homeschool to College Series, overviewing the different aspects of applying to college as a homeschooler. It’s important to note that YourEDU is not a college consulting company, rather, it’s a college application platform for homeschool students and parents. YourEDU has partnered with the Common, and is working with hundreds of individual colleges and universities, to help homeschoolers understand requirements, create admin materials, and apply to college. This series of blog posts comes out of conversations with college admissions professionals, reviewing hundreds of successful homeschool applications, and Henry’s (YourEDU co-founder) own experience applying to college as a homeschooler.