Do early birds really have an edge in admissions? The answer is often yes! The purpose of submitting an application to a college early is to indicate your top preference for that college or a small group of colleges. Colleges appreciate knowing you are likely to enroll if admitted.
With Early Action and Early Decision, you hear sooner whether you’ve been accepted to your “dream” school” and there is often a significant admission advantage to applying early.
What is the difference between the three early application types ?
· Early Action is a plan offered by colleges allowing students to apply early and receive an admissions decision earlier than the regular decision dates. Early Action is typically non-binding (i.e. you are not required to enroll if you are accepted) and you may submit early action applications to more than one school. You can apply regular admissions to any other colleges.
Why Apply Early?
There are advantages or disadvantages to applying early. However, the
following table shows an advantage in admissions when applying Early Decision
at some of the top universities in the country.
If you have a school that clearly stands out as your “Top Choice”, it
may be wise to apply Early Decision to gain a better chance of admission.
College |
Early Decision Acceptance Rate |
Regular Deadline Acceptance Rate |
Brown |
22% |
7% |
Cornell |
26% |
11% |
Dartmouth |
28% |
8% |
University of Pennsylvania |
22% |
7% |
Vanderbilt University |
24% |
9% |
Financial Aid
You can now submit financial aid forms starting Oct. 1, using last year’s taxes. This gives colleges an opportunity to consider your financial aid or merit awards along with your admissions decision. Often students who apply early are offered more financial aid.