A lot of my friends are going for early action or early decision, and I'm wondering if there's anything wrong or risky about just sticking with regular decision applications. Is that considered unusual or disadvantageous?
No, applying only through regular decision is neither unusual nor disadvantageous in itself. This route is followed by plenty of students every year and colleges accept a large portion of their total students from the regular decision applicant pool.
One advantage of applying through regular decision is that you don't have any binding commitments. Unlike early decision, which is a binding contract, regular decision gives you the freedom to choose among all the colleges you get accepted to. Also, you have more time to refine and perfect your essays and application materials compared with early action or early decision.
However, one thing you should consider is that applying early decision or early action can sometimes slightly increase your chances of acceptance. Schools sometimes have higher acceptance rates for early applicants compared to regular decision applicants, although this varies from school to school.
Bear in mind, though, that you should only apply early decision if the school is your absolute first choice and you're sure you'd want to attend if accepted. Also, ensure that you've evaluated the financial aspect since an early decision acceptance is binding. Remember, every situation is unique, so choosing what is right for your specific circumstances is key.
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