Does regular decision mean I have to go there?

No, applying through regular decision does not mean you have to attend if accepted. Regular decision is a non-binding application, meaning you can apply to multiple schools and make your decision after receiving all acceptance letters and financial aid offers.

Is it better to apply regular decision?

Whether it's better to apply regular decision depends on your circumstances. If you need more time to improve your application, take additional tests, or compare financial aid offers, regular decision might be the better option. However, early action or early decision can offer higher acceptance rates for some schools.

What does regular admission mean for college?

Regular admission refers to the traditional application process where students submit their applications by a set deadline (usually around January or February) and receive their admission decisions by March or April. It is a non-binding process, giving students time to weigh their options after acceptance.

Is regular decision binding?

No, regular decision is not binding. Students are free to apply to multiple schools, and they are not obligated to attend any of the schools they are accepted to. You can compare financial aid packages and choose which school to attend before the decision deadline, typically May 1st.

Is it better to do early action or regular decision?

It depends on your situation. Early action can give you an earlier decision and show interest in the school without binding you to attend. If your application is ready by the early action deadline and you want to know your options sooner, it can be beneficial. However, regular decision gives you more time to perfect your application and compare financial aid packages.

Is it better to apply early action or regular decision to Harvard?

Applying early action to Harvard can demonstrate a strong interest in the school and might offer a slight advantage in the admissions process, but it is not binding. However, if your application needs more time to be the best it can be, regular decision might be the better choice.

Is there a disadvantage to applying early action?

There are few disadvantages to applying early action since it is a non-binding process. However, if your application isn’t as strong early in the fall semester (e.g., needing higher test scores or more accomplishments), you might benefit from waiting until the regular decision deadline.

What are the benefits of applying for regular decision?

Applying regular decision gives you more time to complete your application, improve your test scores, and strengthen your essays. It also allows you to compare acceptance offers and financial aid packages from multiple schools before making a final decision.

Is it OK to only apply regular decision?

Yes, it is completely fine to only apply through regular decision. While early action or early decision might offer some advantages, regular decision is a standard process that allows you to apply without pressure or binding commitments. You still have ample time to consider your options after receiving your decisions.

What is the point of early action?

The point of early action is to provide students with an early admissions decision without requiring a binding commitment. It allows students to demonstrate interest in a school, potentially improve their chances of admission, and receive an answer earlier in the admissions cycle while still keeping their options open.

Is restrictive early action binding?

No, restrictive early action (REA) is not binding, but it does limit where else you can apply early. REA allows you to apply early to one school without committing to attend, but you cannot apply early action or early decision to other private universities.

What is the difference between early decision and restrictive early decision?

Early decision (ED) is a binding agreement, meaning if you are accepted, you must attend that school and withdraw applications from other colleges. Restrictive early decision also limits where else you can apply early, but it is not binding. If accepted through REA, you are not required to attend and can compare other offers.

What are the benefits of restrictive early action?

The benefit of restrictive early action (REA) is that it allows students to apply to a top-choice school early without the binding commitment of early decision. It gives you an early answer while allowing you to compare other offers later in the regular decision process.

What are the two types of early action?

The two types of early action are 1) non-restrictive early action, where you can apply early to multiple schools, and 2) restrictive early action (REA), where you can only apply early to one school, often a private institution, but it is not binding.

What is the difference between early action and early binding?

Early action is non-binding, allowing you to receive an early admissions decision without committing to attend the school. Early binding (or early decision) is a binding agreement, meaning if you are accepted, you must attend the school and withdraw any other applications.

Is early decision legally binding?

While early decision is not legally binding in the sense of a contract enforced by law, it is a commitment that schools expect you to honor. If you apply early decision and are accepted, you are expected to withdraw applications from other schools and attend the ED school. The only acceptable reason to decline would be due to an insufficient financial aid package.

What is the Difference between Application Deadlines?

College Counseling

Aug 30

Written By Lynne Fuller

Ok, so pretend you are about to send a diver to the top of the platform with the instruction of sticking the landing while calling out various heights, degrees of difficulty, and technical skills while they have already started into the dive.

This analogy is truly the best way I can describe what is the difference between Early Action, Regular Decision, Rolling Admission, Restricted Early Action, and Early Decision 1 and 2. If you need a playbook to understand what dive to throw at what time while trying to figure out the degree of difficulty ahead, I promise this post will help guide you to results that make sense based on your list of colleges.

Rolling Admissions

Rolling Admissions (A Non-Binding Policy): If you are applying to a college or university that adheres to Rolling admissions policies, then I would suggest getting in your application by the first or second week of September. The reason is, the early bird gets the worm.

If you are able to put your application together, ensure that your personal statement really speaks to who you are and how you think, your activities describe your skills well, and your high school can send off your official transcript within a week of your submission, then hit send. This work can be done throughout the summer so it is wise to capitalize on this time.

Obviously I enjoy analogies so here is one that best describes this scenario, you are going into a money machine, do you want to be first or tenth in line? Each person has less of an opportunity to grab money as each week wears on, so anytime between the 1st and 4th weeks of school are the best times to hit send on a Rolling admissions school. The degree of difficulty is low, the potential outcome is good, there is no barrier to trying.

Early Action

Early Action (A Non-Binding Policy): If a school offers early action, they are taking a pulse on who is interested, who wants to get applications in early, and who is testing the waters without totally committing. Early Action allows applicants to hear from their school sometime between early December and late January to know where they stand.

It is also important to note that many schools require applications to be in by scholarship deadlines which also coincide with Early Action deadlines, certainly something to consider when planning out your workflow for the fall and how to maximize your merit scholarships. The degree of difficulty here is quite low and with a well-organized application package you can really land this one.

Restrictive Early Action

Restricted Early Action (A Kind-of Binding Policy): For colleges who offer Restricted Early Action, they are including terms and conditions (or degrees of difficulty) on how to land your dive. Most require that you do not Early Decision to any other college, some say that you can apply to public universities early action and private universities regular decision. The best rule of thumb for these schools is to read the fine print and to understand how this kind of contract can limit your possibilities going forward. Many students will have their heart set on an REA school only to be pushed to the Regular Decision pool and then what. If you are a great candidate and are willing to play roulette (the worst odds in all of gambling by the way) then sure REA is your ticket.

The upside is that Yale, Georgetown, Stanford, or Princeton could say yes in that first round, but the odds are tough here.

By telling these schools that you are applying REA they know you are serious without binding you to the school, however you are playing the long game when it comes to regular decision and waiting months until you hear from other schools whether or not you are getting in. Be careful, this feels like a Triple Lindy (see Back to School with Rodney Dangerfield…or don’t because the jokes don’t hold up and the actual dive is quite dangerous)

Early Decision

Early Decision (Binding): For schools that offer Early Decision as an option, students who have the funds and have identified that this particular place is their number one will enter into a binding agreement. That entails you indicating a parent or guardian who agrees and a school counselor who has to sign off.

This agreement is not for the faint of heart as you are committing to whatever sticker price they tell you and you must figure out how to pay for it, however the upside is much higher admission rates for those who select it because you are guaranteeing a university cash flow that they can then build their operating budget on.

It is a tricky decision indeed. Those who can pay outright ED to their top school, those who need to wait and see what the financial aid package will look like are far more hesitant. Although ED is a “binding agreement” the way out is that a school is unaffordable, there is a change in income, or some other complication that makes a student’s file up for review, but this is more of an exception than the rule.

Additionally, some apply ED 1 to their top choice school and if they do not get in, will have a list of schools that offer ED 2 to try to use as a backup to hopefully guarantee admission to their top 1 and 2. The risks and rewards of ED must be thoroughly considered before submitting, think of this as the highest degree of difficulty financially, but the greatest reward if you are able to make this decision.

Regular Decision

Regular Decision (A Non-Binding Policy): What is Regular Decision for college?

Bottom line, you will find out if you got into the college or university (in the US) sometime in March. For international schools the RD timeline will be different, but when speaking about domestic US schools this is it. Then you have six weeks to make a decision and deposit, not to mention that housing is often first come first served.

The dive is relatively easy, but the judges are tough here and less willing to offer you top scores. Because you are waiting to apply regular decision the depth of merit scholarship may not be as available, so this is where it is wise to apply earlier to meet those deadlines for eligibility.

With so many decisions to be made, it is vital to build a balanced list, determine school deadlines, and consider your workflow. Having transparent conversations about financial fit is vital, these conversations must happen long before the submit button is hit and your list of schools have been identified. With that said decision types and deadlines are a vital part of the process so you can stick your landing.

To learn more about the differences between application deadlines or any other related topics, email hello@collegeflightpath.com or book a free 15-minute call.