Brittany Maschal

Founder/Director
B. Maschal Educational Consulting

Early Action (EA): Students apply early and receive a decision well in advance of the institution’s regular response date. Early action plans are nonbinding — students receive an early response to their application but do not have to commit to the college until the normal reply date of May 1. EA applicants • Apply early. • Receive an admission decision early in the admission cycle (usually in...

Carita Del Valle

Founder
Academic Decisions

Early Decision is a binding contract which means "No matter what I am going to come to your school if you chose me regardless of the financial aid or scholarship package I receive." Early Action means that I am really interested in your school, it is one of my top choices and I appreciate you looking closely at my application to see my interest. Since there is no binding contract I can also see...

Nancy Milne

Owner
Milne Collegiate Consulting

Early action is a non-binding decision that you learn about before the normal deadline. You are compared to a smaller pool of applicants as a result of the earlier deadline. Early decision is a binding offer that commits you to that school. You can only apply ED to one school, so there won't be any conflict from multiple acceptances.

Edward LaMeire

CEO
LaMeire College Consulting (lameirecollegeconsulting.com)

Early Decision Perhaps the most significant decision a student can make in the college application process will be if she applies RD (Regular Decision )ED (Early Decision) or EA (Early Action). To provide some issues pertaining to ED (both so-called EDI and EDII): 1. Students may apply to just one school ED (unless they apply to an ED school, are rejected, and then apply to an ED II school). This...

Rebecca Joseph

Executive Director & Founder
getmetocollege.org

EARLY ACTION=NOT BINDING. EARLY DECISION: BINDING. Many kids want to apply early and find out out from a college. Students typically apply in October and November and find out before Christmas. If they apply EARLY DECISION, they must attend that college and pull out applications from others. EARLY ACTION applicants, do not have to attend if they get in. Early applications tend to privilege those who...

Lora Lewis

Educational Consultant
Lora Lewis Consulting

Early admission programs give you the chance to express your sincere desire to attend a certain school (or schools) and also have the added benefit of letting you know whether or not you were accepted in mid-December of your senior year. Early Action is a non-binding agreement. You can apply to as many schools EA as you like (though some schools do have restrictions; be sure to read the...

Ryan Aldrich

Director of College Counseling
The White Mountain School

Early Action and Early Decision It is important to understand the various policies for students who wish to pursue Early Action and/or Early Decision programs. Early Decision –Early decision plans allow you to apply early (usually in November) and get an admission decision well in advance of the usual notification date. These Early Decision plans are “binding”, which means if you apply early as an...

Patricia Aviezer

President
Inside Track To College, Inc.

The difference between Early Action (EA) and Early Decision (ED) is simple. Early Decision is a binding agreement between the student who is applying and the college that they are applying to that if accepted, they agree to enter that college. A form is signed in front of your guidance counselor attesting to this fact and you counselor signs it as well. Both EA and ED plans have early deadline...

Diana Hanson

Common Sense College Counseling
College Mentors

Early decision (ED) is a binding agreement between you and a college in which you agree that you WILL attend that college should they offer you admission. You can only apply to 1 college ED. If you're accepted, you have to withdraw all your other applications to other colleges. You'll generally also need to turn in financial aid information early so that the college can provide you with estimated...

Katie Ryan

Admissions Counselor
Carroll Community College

Both Early Action and Early Decision allows students to get an admissions decision early. Students apply in the Fall and usually receive their decisions in December or January. However, the biggest difference between Early Action and Early Decision is that if you apply Early Decision - you are then committed to that school. Early Action allows you to receive your admissions decision, but then still...