EA, ED, REA, RD: What’s the Difference?
What’s Covered:
- What Are the Differences?
- Pros and Cons of Different Admissions Timelines
- Does Applying Early Increase Your Chances?
If you’re applying to college, you may have heard of the terms Early Action (EA), Early Decision (ED), Restrictive Early Action (REA), and Regular Decision (RD). These terms can be really confusing as you start the application process, but it’s vital to understand the difference between these concepts since they determine how you apply to college.
What Are the Differences?
There are numerous application pathways, and many colleges offer more than one option—each with its own deadlines, restrictions, and advantages.
Early Action
Early Action (EA) is an admissions plan where you apply to the university early. This means that you must have all your admissions materials ready early in the school year. The advantage of applying EA is that you may have a slightly higher admissions chance since admissions officers read your application before the regular deadline.
Early Action is not binding, meaning that if you are accepted, then you have the choice of whether or not to attend. You can also apply to as many EA schools as you choose, as long as they are not considered Restrictive Early Action (REA).
EA applications are typically due either on November 1 or November 15. This means that to apply EA, you want to ensure that all your application materials are ready. If you are applying with standardized test scores and need to retake the ACT or SAT, you should take the tests by October or early November (latest). You usually hear your decision in December.
Early Decision
Early Decision (ED) is an early admissions process through which you apply early to a university, and if accepted, you must attend. If you apply ED, you can still apply to other universities at the same time under their EA plans. ED may give you an admissions advantage as it demonstrates your commitment to attending.
Some schools offer two rounds of ED. ED I applications are usually due in Early November, although there are a few universities with applications due in early December. ED II applications are commonly due January 1, and you’ll hear back in February. Under the ED II plan, you’ll still want to submit Regular Decision applications, but you will have to attend your ED school if admitted.
Restrictive Early Action
Restrictive Early Action (REA) is similar to Early Action as it is a non-binding, early application plan with deadlines typically in November. However, since it is “restricted,” you are not allowed to apply to another university’s early application program. Like other EA and ED plans, this may increase your admissions chances because it demonstrates to admissions officers that you’re dedicated to their university’s program.
Regular Decision
As its name implies, Regular Decision (RD) is when you apply as a regular applicant to a university. Under this plan, you can apply to as many other universities as you want under any admissions plan.
RD applications are due at the beginning of January, giving you an ample amount of time to prepare all your materials. If you’re applying RD, the latest you should take the ACT/SAT is in December to have enough time to apply with your scores.
Under the RD plan, your application is compared to the entire pool of applicants, so you will not have an advantage like EA, ED, or REA candidates.
Rolling Admissions
Rolling Admissions means that admissions officers admit students on a “first-come, first-served” basis. Rather than reading all applications and then making a decision, rolling admissions will accept qualified students as soon as their applications are read. This means that spots for an incoming class can fill up quickly.
When applying through rolling admissions, it’s best to submit your application as early as possible to maximize your chances of acceptance.
Pros and Cons of Each Admissions Timeline
Each college admissions pathway comes with its own set of advantages and drawbacks, making it important to choose the option that best fits your goals.
Early Action
Pros:
- Your application is read earlier by admissions, increasing your chances of acceptance.
- You will get your admissions decision back early, typically in December.
- You may have more time to write the college essays—because you’re only working on one—for the school since RD applications are due in January, and you’ll have to write a lot more essays then.
Cons:
- The timeline is much earlier, so your entire application needs to be done quickly and you must submit ACT/SAT scores earlier.
- You will not have a chance to submit your first semester senior year grades.
- Your application may not be quite as polished as your later applications due to time constraints.
Early Decision
Pros:
- This is a great option if you have a definite first-choice school.
- If admitted, you won’t have to fill out more applications.
- You may have more time to fill out your application because the deadline is early and you’re only focused on one essay.
- You’ll find out your admissions decision in December.
- Admission rates may be higher.
Cons:
- If admitted, you won’t be able to choose another university or negotiate for a better financial aid package.
- You must attend the school if you are accepted and can’t “shop around.”
Restrictive Early Action
Pros:
- You may have more time to fill out your application since the deadline is earlier and there’s less college admissions work on your plate.
- You could have a higher chance of admission.
- If admitted, you don’t have to commit to the school, but can consider other options.
- You’ll find out your decision early.
Cons:
- All materials must be submitted earlier than RD applications.
- You cannot apply to other schools EA, which may decrease your chances at other schools.
Regular Decision
Pros:
- You have more time to build a robust profile, and can send the university your first semester transcript.
- You don’t have to commit to a university, and can review your financial aid packages for other schools before you make a decision.
Cons:
- You may be at a disadvantage and have a lower chance of acceptance in the RD pool.
- You will have to apply to many schools and won’t be done with the process in December, like some EA or ED applicants.
Rolling Admissions
Pros:
- If you submit your application early and are well-qualified, you have a higher chance of acceptance.
- You can fill out the application on your own timeline, although we recommend submitting as early as possible.
Cons:
- You have to be organized and ready to apply early under this plan.
- Unlike EA or ED, which often increase your chances of acceptance, RA plans are dependent on the strength of the rest of the applicant pool.
Does Applying Early Increase Your Chances?
Students are always eager to know if applying early increases their chances of admission. The answer is generally yes. Applying early does increase your chances. However, this is only if your academic profile is similar to those of admitted students. Otherwise, you would just be “wasting” your early application.
You’ll also want to consider whether applying early (especially ED) is right for you. It’s tempting to apply ED simply to get the college application process over as soon as you can. However, you’ll want to reflect on whether you would be excited about the program and university if admitted.
At CollegeVine, we’ve found that applying ED generally gives you a 10-12% admissions boost, while Restrictive Early Action has a 6-8% boost, and Early Action has a 4-6% boost. This is true even when controlling for profile strength (as many early applicants have stronger profiles and the admissions pool is more competitive). If you’re curious to find out ED and EA acceptance rates compared to RD rates, check out our list of ED/EA acceptance rates.
Do you want to know your true chances of acceptance to college? Check out our free chancing calculator. This tool will take into account your academic profile, extracurriculars, and background to calculate your chances of admission and identify areas of your profile you can improve.
