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With all these acronyms, the differences can often be confusing to figure out. And more than that, which one should you go for?
REA (Restricted Early Action)
When applying through REA the student promises not to apply Early Action or Early Decision to another school. In return they receive an early answer from the college-- generally around mid-December. Most REA application deadlines are around November 1.
REA applications are non-binding; the student can still apply for and choose to accept admission to another college. The student also will have until May 1 to accept the REA admission offer. Only about 10 colleges offer the REA option; these colleges are generally the most elite. Schools that offer REA programs include Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale.
ED (Early Decision):
When applying through ED the student promises that if admitted to the college, they will attend. In return they receive an early answer from the college-- generally around mid-December. The typical ED deadline is around November 1. A few A few colleges also offer an “ED 2” option in December or January.
Students can only apply to one college ED, and they may not submit REA applications to any other colleges. A student admitted ED typically must respond to the offer within 2 weeks and withdraw all other college applications. A few hundred colleges offer the ED option.
EA (Early Action)
When applying through EA the student submits the application by a college’s EA deadline (typically anywhere from 10/15 to 12/15) in exchange for an early answer from the college. A student can apply EA to multiple colleges; they can also elect to apply ED to another college. The EA option is typically offered by less selective colleges.EA admissions are non-binding; students can wait and decide by May 1.
What are the advantages of each?
In general, applying early is a good idea because if you are accepted to your early school(s), you will be motivated to begin the essay writing process early and reduce the number of schools you apply to through the regular decision process.
Restricted Early Action: Most schools say they do not give preferential treatment to REA applicants. The applicant pool is smaller and many of these students who apply REA are more prepared than those applying RD. Whether this is true or not, purely numbers-wise, REA schools accept a significantly larger percentage of applicants from their early pool than during the RD round.
Early Decision: Acceptance rates for ED schools are significantly higher than their RD rates. For the right student, this option can increase the chance of admission by up to 2%. One important item to consider, however, is Financial Aid: you might be offered a lower financial aid package if accepted ED, since you are obligated to attend. Keep in mind that there can be severe consequences if you decide to renege on your ED offer.
Early Action: For some students, EA applications offer a chance to complete the process early and then have peace of mind. For many of our students, however, an EA application can be a disadvantage. Some top-tier school that offer EA include MIT and UChicago.