1. Applying ED - Early DecisionExamples of colleges that offer ED applications: Columbia, UPenn,Cornell, Brown, Duke, RiceED is restrictive and binding. This means that applicants who apply to a college ED may only apply to that college under early admissions, but may still apply to an infinite number of colleges under regular admissions. However, the binding nature of applying ED entails a student who is accepted to a college ED to immediately accept that college's offer of admission. For example, if you decide to apply to Columbia ED and you get accepted, you must attend Columbia, regardless of the status of any application you may have submitted under regular admissions. Thus, applying ED is most appropriate for students who are absolutely certain which college is their number 1 choice.2. Applying EA - Early ActionExamples of colleges that offer EA applications: Caltech, MIT, University of ChicagoEA is non-restrictive and non-binding. This means that applicants who apply to a college EA may apply to other colleges under early action admissions, and may still apply to an infinite number of colleges under regular admissions. Also, like SCEA, a student who is accepted to a college EA does not have to attend that college. EA is the most flexible of the three early application options and is appropriate for students who have a favorite college, but who are uncertain if it is their number 1 choice.3. Applying SCEA - Single Choice Early ActionExamples of colleges that offer SCEA applications: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, StanfordSCEA is restrictive and non-binding. This means that applicants who apply to a college SCEA may only apply to that college under early admissions, but may still apply to an infinite number of colleges under regular admissions. But this time, a student who is accepted to a college SCEA does not have to attend that college. For example, if you decide to apply to Stanford SCEA and you get accepted, you may elect to attend a college you were accepted to under regular admissions. Applying SCEA is most appropriate for students who have a favorite college, but who are uncertain if it is their number 1 choice.
