Early Action vs Early Decision: Types of College Application Plans

Seniors all over the country are applying to college and deciding whether or not submit early applications.

By Sofia Timpone

Oct. 17, 2025

As early college application deadlines approach, students around the country are deciding whether or not to submit their applications in November. According to the College Board, approximately 450 universities offer early admissions plans. These plans offer high school students the opportunity to apply to — and hear back from — universities early and, in some cases, improve their chances of admission.

Early applications were first introduced to the college admissions process in the 1950s and have become popular amongst both universities and students. Universities benefit from accepting early applications because it gives them a better idea of what their incoming class will look like and also increases yield rate: the percentage of admitted students who end up enrolling in the university. Students benefit from early applications because they can increase their chances of admission and demonstrate interest to the universities they choose to apply to.

Before deciding to apply early to a university, it’s important to understand the different types of early admission and the rules for each one.

Early Decision

This type of application is binding. Students applying early decision to a school should note that, if accepted, they must attend the school. (If a student is deferred in the early round and then accepted in the spring, they are not obligated to attend). 

Students who are accepted in December are expected to withdraw all other applications. Breaking the early decision contract can result in negative consequences for both the applicant and their school, so it’s important that, if a student chooses to apply early to a school, they are ready to attend. 

Because financial aid packages are often released after decisions have been made, students who do not receive enough aid to be able to attend their early decision school are allowed to break the contract, although some schools discourage students from applying early if they are unsure about their ability to afford tuition.

Early Action 

Early action, unlike early decision, is an early non-binding application. Students who are accepted through the early action program are not obligated to attend the school. This option is great for students who aren’t ready to commit to a school for financial or other reasons, but still shows the university that they are interested in attending.

Restrictive Early Action

Restrictive early action, like regular early action, is a non-binding application. However, students applying restrictive early action to a private school may not submit any regular early action or early decision applications to other private universities. (Students may apply early action to public universities). 

It’s important to note that not every university has the same rules for early admissions. To make sure that you are adhering to your university’s early application rules, speak with your school counselor and review the university’s website.