Inside Admissions: Early Action and Regular Decision
As college application season begins, you have an important decision to make: whether to apply for early action or regular decision. We’re here to give you the inside scoop.
We’ll answer questions like:
- What’s the difference between early action and early decision?
- Does early action increase my chances of admission?
- Is regular decision or early action right for me?
Keep reading to learn about early action and regular decision so you can make the best choice for your college journey.
Wait! What Are Early Action, Early Decision, Regular Decision, and Rolling Decision?
Let’s dive into a quick definition of each college admissions process we’ll be discussing in this article.
For early decision, students apply early, usually by the fall, and get a decision as early as mid-December. If they are accepted, they are contractually obligated to attend the school.
For early action, students apply by the fall and get a decision back as early as mid-December, but are not contractually obligated to attend the school. This is a big difference; we’ll talk more about it later.
For regular decision, students usually apply by January-February, and decisions are released in the spring.
For rolling decision, students apply within a wide timeframe, and the school admits qualified students on an individual basis until all spaces are filled. A decision should be released a few weeks after a student submits their application.
Early Action
An increasing number of students are applying early action. With early action, you apply early and receive a decision early. The big difference between early action and early decision is that early action is nonbinding, which means you are under no obligation to attend the college if you’re accepted.
The Advantages of Early Action
Applying for early action can increase your chances of acceptance. For one thing, colleges look good when a high percentage of accepted students choose to attend. Early action signifies that you’re serious, which may give your application a boost.
Plus, for schools like the University of South Florida, application season only gets more competitive as it goes on. At USF, early action students receive priority consideration for the campus and term of their choice, because slots haven’t yet filled up. This is true of competitive majors, too: The sooner you apply, the greater chance of snagging your spot. These aren’t guarantees, but maximizing your odds isn’t a bad idea.
Last but not least, having an acceptance letter in hand by winter break can reduce your stress level and allow you to focus on other important milestones during the last semester of senior year (like prom and graduation).
What to Consider About Early Action
Is there a downside to early action? It depends. Some students prefer regular decision because they want more time to retake college entrance exams or boost their GPA. But in most cases, your scores and grades won’t improve enough to make a big difference, so we still recommend applying early action if you meet the college admissions profile.
Remember, even if you’re admitted early, you don’t have to immediately accept the offer. It’s a good idea to wait for all your acceptances to come in, then compare financial aid packages from other schools.
When Do Early Action Decisions Come Out?
Students typically apply early action by the fall and get a decision by mid-December.
What’s the Difference Between Early Action and Early Decision?
If you have a dream school and no financial worries, you might consider applying early decision. But remember, by applying early decision, you are contractually obligated to attend the school if they accept you. You won’t be able to compare different schools’ financial aid offers.
Early action, on the other hand, is not binding — which means you can keep your options open and choose whatever school is the best fit (and offers the best aid). It’s the better choice in most cases.
Regular Decision
Most students apply for regular decision because the final application deadline is typically much later than early action. You will be notified on the college’s official decision day, which typically happens sometime in the spring.
Is regular decision binding? Nope! Like early action, you can compare offers and choose the school that is best for you.
The Advantages of Regular Decision
The biggest advantage to regular decision is a later deadline. If you’re still unsure where to apply, regular decision gives you time to narrow down your list.
You’ll also have more time to retake standardized tests if you think you can dramatically improve your scores. Sometimes, waiting to receive first-semester grades can give your GPA a needed boost, too.
What to Consider About Regular Decision
If you’re a planner, waiting until spring for an admission decision can be stressful. It means less time to accept an offer and get ready for the next phase of your life. For example, the sooner you’re admitted, the more options you’ll have for orientation dates.
Depending on the school, regular decision can also be more competitive than early action, because slots may have already filled up.
When Do Regular Admission Decisions Come Out?
Students typically apply regular admission by January-February and receive a decision in the spring.
What’s the Difference Between Rolling Decision and Regular Decision?
For rolling decision, you can submit your application within a wide window. Admissions officers will review applications and make decisions as they are received.
At USF, rolling decision can be helpful for students who miss our early action deadlines and our regular decision deadlines. But we always recommend applying early action if you can because you’ll have the best chance of acceptance.
Pay Attention to Scholarship and Materials Deadlines
Be sure to pay attention to scholarship and materials deadlines, too. You’ll find a full list of USF’s important application, scholarship, and materials deadlines here.
What Is a Materials Deadline?
The materials deadline is a second deadline that might come a couple weeks after your application deadline. Your application won’t be processed unless you submit the required additional materials (like tests scores, essays, and letters of recommendation) by this date.
For USF’s materials deadline, you don’t have to worry about an essay or letters of recommendation, but you will need to submit test scores and your STARS (formerly SSAR). This is also the deadline to pay the application fee or submit a waiver.
What Is a Scholarship Deadline?
Schools may have scholarship deadlines that are different from their application deadlines. Only students who apply before that date will be eligible for certain scholarship opportunities from the school.
For example, USF’s Office of Admissions gives over 10,000 merit-based awards every year. If you apply early action or regular decision (which is well before USF’s Scholarship Consideration Deadline), you’ll be automatically considered for these scholarships. If you wait for rolling admissions, you may miss the deadline and lose out on scholarship consideration. Other scholarships offered through USF have their own application processes and deadlines, so all hope is not lost if you submit your admissions application after the Scholarship Consideration Deadline, but make sure to maximize your scholarship opportunities where you can!
What’s the Best Choice for You?
If you feel confident that your application reflects your abilities, go ahead and apply for early action. You’re under no obligation to accept an offer right away, so wait until you receive all your decisions, compare aid packages, and choose the best school for you.
If you think your grades or test scores could improve dramatically by waiting, then apply for regular decision and use the extra time to boost your academic credentials.
Need to explain different types of admissions to your parents? We made a guide just for them. Have questions about the USF admissions process? Our admissions advisers are happy to help. Contact us online or by phone at 813-974-3350.
