Early Action vs Early Decision: What's the Difference and Which Should You Choose?

For students applying to US universities, few decisions feel as significant – or as confusing – as choosing between Early Action vs Early Decision. Despite their overlap, Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA) operate very differently and your choice can have major implications for flexibility, financial planning, and overall admissions strategy.

This guide explains how the processes and deadlines differ for EA and ED, which top US universities offer each option, and how acceptance rates compare. Most importantly, it will help you decide which route – if either – makes sense for your academic profile, financial considerations, and university preferences.

Note: in this guide, we’re focusing on the first Early Decision round, ED I. Some colleges also offer a second Early Decision round, called ED II, with later applications and decisions.

If you’d like a more in-depth look at either process, review our dedicated guides:

• Early Action guide
• Early Decision guide

What is the Difference Between Early Action and Early Decision?

Early Action and Early Decision are types of admissions process used by US universities. As their names indicate, they both take place earlier than the standard admissions process, known as Regular Decision (RD).

Under EA and ED, students apply to their chosen college(s) earlier than the RD deadlines and also receive the college’s decision earlier.

Key Differences

Binding Nature of Offers

The key difference is that Early Decision is binding, whereas Early Action isn’t. If you receive an offer from the college which you applied to Early Decision, then you must accept it. By contrast, Early Action applicants are not required to accept any offers they receive through the EA process.

 Consequently, you can only apply to one college Early Decision, whereas at many colleges, Early Action applicants are also allowed to apply through other colleges’ Early Action processes.

Note that some colleges (especially highly competitive schools like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton) operate a Restrictive or Single-Choice Early Action process: this means that you cannot apply to any other private colleges in an EA process.

Even at these colleges, however, the EA offers are not binding, so applicants are free to reject them and apply elsewhere if they change their mind.

Deadlines and Results

EA and ED applications have similar deadlines, usually in November, with November 1^st and November 15^th the most common dates.

Decisions are typically released for both processes in mid-December, though one distinction of Early Action vs Early Decision is that some colleges release their EA decisions later, in January.

ED II deadlines are later, typically between January 1^st and 15^th, with results arriving in mid-February.

Which Colleges Offer Early Action and Early Decision?

Hundreds of US universities offer either Early Action or Early Decision, or both.

Our table below includes selected Ivy League, Ivy Plus, and popular liberal arts colleges, and indicates which of EA vs ED they offer.

University / College	Type	Early Action?	Early Decision?
Brown University	Ivy League	No	Yes (Round I only)
Columbia University	Ivy League	No	Yes (Round I only)
Cornell University	Ivy League	No	Yes (Round I only)
Dartmouth College	Ivy League	No	Yes (Round I only)
Harvard University	Ivy League	Single-Choice	No
Princeton University	Ivy League	Single-Choice	No
University of Pennsylvania	Ivy League	No	Yes (Round I only)
Yale University	Ivy League	Single-Choice	No
Stanford University	Ivy Plus	Restrictive	No
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	Ivy Plus	Yes (unrestricted)	No
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)	Ivy Plus	Restrictive	No
Duke University	Ivy Plus	No	Yes (Round I only)
Georgetown University	Ivy Plus	Yes (unrestricted)	No
University of Chicago	Ivy Plus	Yes (unrestricted)	Yes (Rounds I & II)
Johns Hopkins University	Ivy Plus	No	Yes (Rounds I & II)
Northwestern University	Ivy Plus	No	Yes (Round I only)
Vanderbilt University	Ivy Plus	No	Yes (Rounds I & II)
Williams College	Liberal Arts	No	Yes (Round I only)
Amherst College	Liberal Arts	No	Yes (Round I only)
Bowdoin College	Liberal Arts	No	Yes (Rounds I & II)
Swarthmore College	Liberal Arts	No	Yes (Rounds I & II)
Wellesley College	Liberal Arts	No	Yes (Rounds I & II)
Wesleyan University	Liberal Arts	No	Yes (Rounds I & II)

As this table shows, most top US universities only offer one of Early Action or Early Decision. UChicago is an exception, as it offers both.

The ‘Big Three’ Ivy League universities (Harvard, Princeton, and Yale) offer Single-Choice EA but not ED, with the other Ivies offering ED only.

None of the top liberal arts colleges (including some members of the Little Ivies) offer Early Action; they only offer Early Decision.

Acceptance Rates – Early Action vs Early Decision

One of the most common questions applicants ask is, ‘which will improve my chances of acceptance most, Early Action vs Early Decision?’

Applicants through both Early processes tend to have higher acceptance rates than those who apply Regular Decision. Although part of this effect may be caused by the higher quality of candidates in the Early pools, it is still likely that applying early can genuinely improve your chances. This is because colleges prefer a) applicants who are likely to accept an offer if they make it, and b) to have filled up as more of their class early, provided they don’t have to significantly compromise on student quality.

But which most increases acceptance rates, EA or ED?

University	RD Acceptance Rate	EA Acceptance Rate	ED Acceptance Rate	Early ‘Advantage’
Harvard University	2.70%	8.7%		3.2x
Princeton University	3.70%	15.8%		4.2x
Yale University	3.60%	10.8%		3x
Stanford University	3.30%	8.2%		2.4x
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	3.90%	5.3%		1.3x
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)	<5%	<5%		1x
Georgetown University	12.0%	11.0%		0.9x
Brown University	4.0%		17.9%	4.4x
Columbia University	2.5%		12.5%	5x
Cornell University	6.2%		16.5%	2.6x
Dartmouth College	5.0%		19.2%	3.8x
University of Pennsylvania	4.0%		14.4%	3.5x
Duke University	3.7%		12.7%	3.4x
Johns Hopkins University	5.7%		13.6%	2.3x
Northwestern University	7.0%		20.0%	2.8x
Vanderbilt University	3.3%		13.2%	4x
Williams College	7.0%		26.6%	3.8x
Amherst College	8.0%		29.4%	3.6x
Bowdoin College	5.4%		14.8%	2.7x
Swarthmore College	6.0%		17.0%	2.8x
Wellesley College	13.0%		30.2%	2.3x
Wesleyan University	12.0%		45.0%	3.7x
All EA	4.9%	10.0%		2.3x
All ED	6.2%		20.2%	3.5%

Although there is significant variation between colleges, most Early processes have higher acceptance rates than RD.

Of the top colleges we’ve analysed, on average EA applicants are 2.3x more likely to be accepted than RD applicants, but ED applicants are 3.4x more likely.

Note, though, that the EA figure is dragged down by colleges with unrestrictive EA processes, like MIT and Georgetown. At these colleges, the EA advantage is slim to non-existent, whereas at Restrictive / Single-Choice EA colleges (like Harvard, Yale and Princeton) the EA advantage is comparable to ED.

Early Action vs Early Decision: Which Should I Choose?

Which do the Universities on Your List Offer?

As noted above, most top colleges only offer one of Early Action and Early Decision, not both. When it comes to it, therefore, you may not have a decision to make between EA and ED.

Your choice of EA vs ED should be led by which your preferred colleges offer – not by which process offers marginally better acceptance rates.

When to Choose ED over EA

If You Have a Definite First-Choice University…

If you are certain that one university is your first choice and it offers Early Decision (and you are sure you would attend if admitted), then applying ED demonstrates your commitment and is likely to boost your chances the most.

When to Choose EA over ED

If You Have a Preferred University but You’re Not Certain…

If you’re inclined towards one university but you don’t yet want to fully commit, then applying Early Action (if the university offers it) could be a better choice.

Because EA offers are non-binding, you can still decide whether or not to accept it after some careful reflection – whereas with ED, once you’ve applied, you’re fully committed.

If You Have Multiple Top Choices…

Perhaps you have a shortlist of several universities you like nearly equally, and you’re not comfortable committing to just one in November.

In that case, an Early Action strategy could serve you well (if those schools offer unrestricted EA). You could apply to a few EA schools to get some early results without losing the freedom to choose among them in spring.

If your absolute top choices happen to be Restrictive or Single-Choice EA schools (like Harvard or Stanford), keep in mind you can only apply to one of them early due to their restrictions – but you could still apply to them and simultaneously apply early to any public universities or overseas universities, since those aren’t restricted.

If Financial Aid Packages Matter…

If financial aid, scholarships, or the ability to compare different universities’ offers will play a big role in your decision, Early Decision might not be the best route. Because ED binds you to one school, you won’t be able to weigh financial aid packages from other universities.

In this case, Early Action (or Regular Decision) is safer, since it allows you to receive multiple offers and make an informed choice by May.

Note: if the financial aid package offered by your ED university makes attending the college unaffordable, then that is a valid reason not to accept the offer – one of the few cases where ED offers can be non-binding.

How Can Dukes Plus Help

If you’re planning to apply to a leading US university, we’re here to help! Our US application consultants are graduates of top colleges with years of experience supporting students. We’re experts in everything from college shortlisting and application strategy to SAT and ACT preparation, with a track record of success with leading US universities.

If you’re not sure where to begin, why not book a free consultation to discuss your ambitions and how Dukes Plus can help.