What exactly does 'regular decision' mean in college admissions?

I'm a bit confused about the term 'regular decision' in the context of college admissions. How does it differ from early action or early decision? Does it affect my chances of getting in?

'Regular Decision' (RD) is one of the application options that many colleges and universities provide. The typical deadlines for RD applications are generally around the beginning of January of your senior year of high school (though it could be as early as December or as late as March at some schools), and students are usually notified of their admissions decisions in March or April.

In contrast, Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA) are application options that allow you to apply and receive decisions earlier in your senior year. ED is usually binding, which means if you're accepted, you're committed to attending that school. EA, on the other hand, is typically non-binding and you have until the universal deadline of May 1 to decide on your college choice.

In terms of how Regular Decision might affect your chances of acceptance, this could depend on the specific policies of the colleges you're interested in. While some statistics might suggest that applying early can increase your chances of getting accepted (due to Early Decision's binding nature encouraging universities to admit a portion of their class this way), keep in mind that these applicant pools can often be more competitive.

But the advantage of Regular Decision is that it allows you more time to improve your application, whether that's through retaking standardized tests, building up your extracurricular involvement, or simply having more time to work on and perfect your essays. It also allows you to compare financial aid offers from multiple institutions before making a decision, something you can’t do with an Early Decision application serving as a binding agreement to attend if admitted.