Differences Between Early Decision and Regular Decision?

I'm trying to figure out whether to apply early decision or regular decision to colleges. How do these options differ, and which one might increase my chances of acceptance? Also, are there any drawbacks to picking one over the other?

The main difference between Early Decision (ED) and Regular Decision (RD) lies in the timeline, level of commitment, and, to some extent, the chances of acceptance.

With Early Decision, you're submitting your applications typically in November, much ahead of regular deadline, which is generally in January. ED is binding; if accepted, you're committing to attend that school, barring exceptional circumstances such as inadequate financial aid package. This is a strong choice if you've a clear first choice college where you'd absolutely love to study.

The primary advantage of ED is that it often provides a higher chance of acceptance. On average, students have seen the benefit of a 1.6x, or a 60%, increase in their chances to get into super selective schools. But keep in mind this is an average increase and can differ from school to school.

On the flip side, ED comes with a few potential drawbacks. Early acceptance means less time to compare college offers, financial aid packages, etc. Given ED's binding agreement, it's essential to be absolutely certain about your choice school.

Regular Decision allows more time and flexibility to apply to multiple colleges. It provides ample time for students to strengthen their applications, improve grades, gather recommendation letters, and participate in extracurricular activities. The drawback, however, is that RD generally has a larger applicant pool, leading potentially to a lower acceptance rate, as compared to ED.

Overall, the decision to apply ED or RD should be driven by your confidence in your top choice school and your readiness with a strong application by the ED deadline.