Should I apply early or stick with regular decision?

I'm torn between applying early or regular decision to my top schools. Are there benefits to sticking with regular decision, or is early decision a better play? What's everyone else's experience been?

Early Decision (ED) and Regular Decision (RD) certainly both have their merits and deciding between them largely depends on your individual circumstances.

Early Decision is usually a solid choice if you have a clear first-choice college and you're sure about wanting to attend. An important thing to note is that ED is binding, meaning that if you're accepted, you're obligated to attend (unless the college's financial aid package isn't sufficient). So, that's something to keep in mind.

Regarding the benefits of ED, there's often a higher acceptance rate in ED pools compared to RD. On average, applying ED can result in a 60% increase in your chances of admission to super selective schools. The reason for this is multifaceted, but one leading theory is that colleges like the commitment that comes with an ED application—it helps them with their yield rates (the percentage of admitted students who enroll).

However, if you're not completely sure about your first-choice college or if you want to compare multiple financial aid offers, Regular Decision might be a better route for you. RD gives you the freedom to choose from all the colleges you're accepted to, and you can weigh their financial aid packages against each other.

Also, if you think your senior year grades or additional testing could strengthen your application, RD may provide a better opportunity for showing this improvement, given the later deadline.

In the end, it's up to your personal preference, your level of certainty, and your individual academic and financial needs.