There are multiple deadlines when it comes to applying to college, and choices can affect outcomes. Here are the various options you may encounter. Not all schools offer all options.

Early Decision (ED) is a binding decision offered exclusively by private schools. You may only pick one school to apply to ED because by applying ED, you agree to go there and withdraw applications from anywhere else if accepted.

Be sure you have run the Net Price Calculator and asked any financial aid questions before you do this.

ED is often required for athletic recruits. It requires a counselor and parent signature in most cases to avoid gaming the system and applying multiple places ED.

Pros 
• Some schools fill a large percentage of their class with ED students. Tulane gets 64% of the entire freshman class from ED applications. Their ED acceptance rate is 68% versus Regular Decision at 3%. Clearly an advantage here.
• At this stage, schools still have an entire class to fill, and fewer applications meaning better odds for students willing to commit to a single school early in the process.
• You will find out if you are admitted by December or January, well ahead of the typical March deadline.
• You could avoid writing extra essays and save money on application fees if accepted.
Cons
• You can’t compare financial aid offers.
• You won’t know where else you get accepted because you must withdraw applications at other schools. 
• Sometimes, what students want in November of senior year changes by April when most students choose their college.

Early Action (EA) is the non-binding version of ED, and you can apply to as many EA schools as you want. Both private schools and some non-California public schools like Oregon State University offer this option.

Pros 
• Schools are starting from scratch with no seats filled. This is to the applicant’s advantage or at least has no disadvantage.
• You find out about the decision earlier.
• If it is a top choice and you get admitted, you might avoid some other application work and fees.
• You can compare financial aid offers in April.
• You can compare schools and visit a few more by April.
• May qualify students for additional scholarship consideration by applying early.
Cons
• None.

Restrictive Early Action (REA) Some ultra-selective colleges – Stanford, Harvard, Cal Tech, Notre Dame, Princeton and Yale – allow students to apply early action, but usually only to their school and no ED anywhere. This is Restrictive Early Action.

Unlike ED, students who are admitted are not committed to attending that school. But let’s be real, how many people if admitted to one of these name brand schools say no? Rarely, if ever.

Pros

• Like EA, there is no commitment to attend. 
• It may slightly increase your chances of admission depending on the school.
• Earlier decision notification.
• You may avoid some other application work and fees.
• You can compare financial aid offers.
• You can compare and visit schools through April.

Cons
• You eliminate schools where applying ED or EA offers significantly better odds of admittance compared to these six.
• You are forced to compete in the Regular Decision pool at other selective schools when they have already filled some of the class and have more applications for the Regular Decision round.

To be clear, applying to an REA school eliminates the opportunity to apply EA simultaneously to multiple other institutions, where your odds are better at virtually all of them.

You are accepting the likelihood of rejection at these already highly rejective schools, and lowering your odds of acceptance at every other private EA school too. Be careful! The trade-off may not be worth it.

Rolling Admission (RA) Schools that are first-come, first-served and accept applications until they are full. Arizona State University is an example. Applicants often receive nonbinding admission decisions within three to six weeks of applying. 

Pros
• Higher admission rates means fast decisions.
• Getting admitted is great for reducing anxiety while you wait for other decisions.
• Applications open in July and August. You may get a decision before school starts.
• Many don’t require any writing.
• Might avoid additional work and app fees.

Cons
• None

Regular Decision (RD)—The final, or only, application deadline. This often comes with a March decision notification. For many public schools, RD is the one and only application deadline. The UC Nov. 30 deadline is an example of a school offering RD only.

Pros
• Often later application deadlines than ED or EA.

Cons
• If a school offers ED and or EA, the class may already be partially filled. More competition for fewer spaces equals a lower admission rate in RD.