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Types of College Admission

Types of college admission
Early Decision
Early Application (Early Action)
Single-Choice Early Action
Regular Admission
Rolling Admission
Late Admission
Summary Table of Admission Types

Early Decision

Under Early Decision, students are permitted to apply early to only one college or university.  If accepted, students are legally bound to attend that school (and are forbidden to apply to all other schools).  Typically, Early Decision applications are due November 1.

The ADVANTAGE of using this admission process is students are more likely to be accepted because colleges have higher admission rates for Early Decision applicants.  An additional advantage is students find out early if they’re accepted (college decision letters/e-mails are sent to students between December 1 and 15).

The MAIN DISADVANTAGE of Early Decision is students are under contract to attend the college that accepts them even if they receive no financial aid.  Another disadvantage is students who submit an Early Decision application are forbidden to apply to all other schools using any type of Early Application or early notification process.  If a student is rejected by the school they applied to under Early Decision, they must then apply to other schools using the Regular Admission process. 

The Early Decision process should only be used by highly qualified students (students with superior grades, SAT®/ACT® scores, and extracurricular activities) who are committed to attending their first choice college or university, regardless of financial aid considerations.