Applying Early Action and Early Decision?

I'm considering applying to some colleges through both Early Action and Early Decision. Is it possible to do this? Can I apply to one college with EA and another with ED, or does that violate any agreements?

Hi! Absolutely, you can apply to multiple colleges using both Early Action (EA) and Early Decision (ED) strategies, as long as you follow the rules set by each college. EA is non-binding, meaning you can apply early to several colleges and you aren't committed to attending if accepted. On the other hand, ED is a binding agreement; if you apply ED to a school and get accepted, you're expected to enroll and withdraw all other applications.

Here's what you can do: Apply EA to any number of colleges (unless they have a restriction called Single-Choice Early Action or Restrictive Early Action, then you can only apply to that one institution EA). At the same time, select one college for ED. If you're accepted ED, remember to immediately withdraw your other applications. If you're not accepted, you can then switch to applying Regular Decision (RD) or to other ED II programs if they're offered. A real-life example would be applying EA to a public institution which doesn't have a restrictive EA policy, while submitting an ED application to your top private college choice.

Just remember, since ED application is a commitment, you should be 100% sure that the school is your first choice, and you should have a solid understanding of the financial implications, as you won't be able to compare financial aid offers from other schools. I hope this clarifies things for you!