How is regular decision different from early action?

I'm debating whether to apply early action or regular decision to a few schools. Can someone explain the main differences between the two, and any advantages or disadvantages I should consider? Trying to make the best choice for my applications.

Sure, I'd be happy to help clarify the differences between Early Action (EA) and Regular Decision (RD) application processes.

Early Action involves submitting your application ahead of the regular deadline, typically around November, and you get your admission decision sooner, usually by December or January. Some of the main advantages of applying EA include potentially increasing your chances of admission and finding out your admission status earlier, which can lessen the stress of the admission process. However, it does require you to have your application materials, such as essays and recommendation letters, ready much earlier.

On the other hand, Regular Decision is the traditional process where you submit your application by a later deadline, often in January or February, with decisions usually coming out in March or April. This gives you more time to develop your application materials, take or retake standardized tests, polish your essays, and perhaps add more accomplishments to your application.

One major factor to consider is that EA can be advantageous if you're sure about a particular school or schools and have a strong application ready by the early deadline. Otherwise, Regular Decision might work better for you since it offers more time to focus on your applications. Importantly, remember that while Early Action can potentially boost your chances slightly (depending on the school's policies), the impact it has is generally not as pronounced as that of Early Decision (ED).

Keep in mind that some schools have restrictions on their Early Action programs. For instance, some institutions offer Single-Choice Early Action (also known as Restrictive Early Action), where you can't apply to any other school's early programs. Be sure to check the specific policies of the schools you're interested in to understand their unique rules.

To summarize, the decision between EA and RD should largely depend on your readiness to submit a strong application by the EA deadline, and the policies of the schools to which you're applying. The tradeoff typically involves a bit more time to improve your application (RD) versus finding out sooner and potentially slightly increasing your chances (EA).