Is early action more competitive than regular decision?

I've been curious about whether applying early action is more or less competitive compared to regular decision. Does it give any advantage, or am I better off waiting until regular decision if my application isn't perfect yet?

The Early Action (EA) admission process can varying degrees of competitiveness depending on the individual institution. For some schools, the EA applicant pool might be stronger largely due to the fact that many high-achieving, motivated students who have a clear first-choice school tend to apply earlier.

However, this trend does not necessarily mean that applying EA is more competitive. Schools have the same standards for applicants regardless of when you apply. In fact, the acceptance rate during EA is in fact often higher, since, again, there are often lots of talented students in the EA pool, so schools are more than happy to accept a higher percentage of them.

Applying EA does actually offer certain advantages. First, you get an admission decision earlier, typically in December instead of waiting until spring. This can alleviate some stress from the college application process, and if you're accepted to your top-choice school, give you extra time to prepare for your first semester in college.

Second, applying EA can sometimes slightly boost your chances of admission. This effect is usually more pronounced at schools that offer the binding Early Decision (ED), as ED allows schools to guarantee that spot in the class will be filled. But applying EA still demonstrates an enthusiasm that admissions officers appreciate, and on an even simpler level, all of the spots in the class are still open during EA - during Regular Decision (RD), some will have been filled by students who accepted their EA offer of admission.

That said, it's essential to present your best possible application. If waiting until the regular decision deadline allows you to improve your grades, add significant extracurricular achievements, or refine your essays, that will likely influence your admissions decisions more than the potential boost from applying EA. Remember, colleges want to see your best self, so take the time you need to put forth the best application possible, rather than stressing too much about which round you submit that application in.

So, in short, it's not that EA is automatically more or less competitive than regular decision. The applicant pool can be more talented, but schools also generally accept a higher percentage of students from this pool. What ultimately matters most is the strength of your own application, so if it isn't ready by the EA deadline, it would be better to wait and apply for the RD deadline.

Good luck with your applications!