What's the difference between Naval Academy early admission and early decision?

I'm considering applying to the Naval Academy but I'm a bit confused about their early admission and early decision options. Can someone explain how they differ and what the key dates are for this?

The United States Naval Academy does not follow the traditional Early Decision (ED) or Early Action (EA) application processes that you would find at most civilian colleges or universities. Instead, there is a system of Rolling Admissions.

In a Rolling Admissions process, the institutions review applications as they are submitted and make admission decisions throughout the admission cycle. It's not "early" in terms of separate deadlines and responses, but rather, the sooner you complete your application, the sooner you might hear a decision. The Naval Academy begins sending out offers of appointment (the equivalent of acceptances) as early as September.

The application period opens on January 1 of Junior year (of high school) and closes on January 31 of Senior year. You need a nomination (usually from a Congressman, Senator, or the Vice President) before you can be appointed—generally you have to apply for these in the summer before Senior year, but you'd need to check the exact dates with the offices in question since it differs amongst nominators.

So, while the Naval Academy does not have an Early Decision or Early Action plan, applying earlier can potentially lead to an earlier decision, given the rolling nature of the admissions review process. Thus, it's recommended to get your application in as soon as you can, along with securing any required nominations.

Remember also that the Naval Academy strictly evaluates on a competitive basis, meaning that your application will be evaluated in context with other applicants, regardless of when you apply. The key thing is to submit a strong, complete application, even if it means taking some extra time to polish your materials. Be sure to keep track of all deadlines and stay on top of each part of the application process!