Pro – by Jessie Chen

Senior year, second semester. While most seniors are stressing over college essays and waiting months for decisions, you’re already wearing your dream school’s hoodie with an acceptance letter in hand. That is the power of early decision. 

When it comes down to college applications, many seniors debate whether to apply early decision or regular decision. Even though both have their own benefits, early decision offers many advantages that make it the smarter choice for students who have their heart set on a dream school. 

Applying early decision can significantly boost a student’s chances of admission, especially when it comes to selective universities. The increase in acceptance rates isn’t just pure luck; it shows universities that a student is fully committed to their school, and that dedication makes them stand out in highly competitive applicant pools. 

According to Ivy Coach, data from the high school class of 2023 indicates that competitive Ivy League schools like Columbia University had a 3% acceptance rate for RD, but a 15% acceptance rate for early decision applicants. Likewise, Duke University had record low acceptance rates for the class of 2025, with a regular decision acceptance rate of 4 percent, but an early decision acceptance rate of 13 percent. Similar patterns were found in schools outside of the Ivy Leagues, as many became increasingly selective.

Even though early decision acceptance rates are significantly higher, the likelihood of admission is still slim. Getting denied in early decision can feel discouraging, but applying through early decision does not completely leave students stranded. Most schools release early decision results mid-December, which still gives applicants a few weeks before regular decision deadlines in January. Despite the shorter window, that period conveniently falls over winter break, when students have fewer school and extracurricular responsibilities, which gives them more time to focus on refining their regular decision applications. Moreover, most early decision applicants aren’t just applying to one school and have backup or safety schools, so an early decision rejection does not mean having to start over from scratch. In fact, many students typically use their early decision in the most competitive school they are applying to in order to boost their chance of getting accepted. That way, if they don’t get in, they still have a realistic shot at other colleges where their chances of admission are higher. By using early decision for their most ambitious choice while still having realistic alternatives, applying early decision is not the gamble many think it is.

Nonetheless, some may argue that applying early is more stressful because students have less time to prepare and perfect their application, as rushing the application can compromise the quality of essays. In reality, finishing early can be advantageous. Working on essays during the summer — before the pressures of AP classes, sports and other extracurriculars intensify — is less stressful because students are able to focus on their applications without distraction. By the time senior year workload piles high, early decision applicants are already finished with their essays, while regular decision applicants are left juggling their essays and classes, which prevents their application from reaching its full potential. 

Waiting for a college letter can feel like an emotional rollercoaster, filled with anticipation, hope and fear. Instead of waiting until March or April to receive results, early decision students hear back from universities in December. Students who are accepted are freed from this anxiety ahead of time. 

Regardless of whether one chooses to apply for early or regular decisions, it is important to know the schools you are  truly interested in committing to. Knowing your top choices ensures that applications show genuine dedication, helping you make thoughtful decisions. Ultimately, for students with a clear first-choice school, the advantages of early decision are undeniable: higher acceptance rates, earlier results and less stress.

Con – by Lana Weber

Acceptance letters are fanned out across dining room tables as students carefully weigh their options, contemplating possibly one of the most important decisions of their lives. Regular decision applicants have had weeks to make a thoughtful selection from the schools that have accepted them along with any incentives, whereas early decision applicants must commit to a college without having the same luxury. 

When it comes to regular decision, students have time to compare financial aid options, which they often rely on to reduce tuition and student debt. However, early decision is designed to limit options, with students being required to commit months earlier than the standard deadline for regular decision, causing them to miss out on superior financial aid offers. Those who require a significant tuition reduction to attend their preferred school often find a lack of flexibility when it comes to early decision.

While some may argue that early decision reduces the stress that comes with college application season, it actually has the opposite effect due to the time crunch. Students who apply early decision have less time to polish their essays and fine-tune their applications as a whole. They have fewer chances to take the SAT or ACT and submit higher scores and fewer opportunities to showcase their academic improvement — especially if they are deferred from early decision into a pool of students who had more time — causing increased anxiety from submitting a less competitive application.

Early decision applicants also have a significant chance of being rejected or deferred. According to Ivy Coach, out of a pool of 6,244 early decision applicants in the high school class of 2024, Brown University admitted 898 students, for an acceptance rate of about 14%. About 68% were denied admission and 17% were deferred for consideration in the regular decision pool, reflecting a trend of decreasing deferral rates and increasing denial rates in recent years. Early decision can leave students with a false sense of hope in committing to their first-choice college, possibly neglecting their regular decision application, which generates increased stress and anxiety if they are rejected or deferred. 

Individuals who apply for early decision reduce the time available for exploring colleges, pushing them into a more rushed and uncertain decision. This leaves room for regret if students later discover they missed out on better offers. Students who choose to apply with regular decision have more time to tour and research a variety of universities, leaving them more prepared to make the choice that will ultimately be the best academic and cultural fit for them.

Beyond limiting financial aid options and potentially leaving students with an insufficient application compared to other applicants, rushed decisions when committing to a college prevents students from having life-changing experiences abroad. College is about discovering who you are.  Leaving home to go to school out of state or even out of country gives students an incredible opportunity to grow.  However, students accepted via early decision must withdraw all other applications, including ones to out-of-state and international universities. If students solely apply under regular decision, they have the flexibility to wait for a response from all the schools they’ve applied to, including in-state universities, out-of-state universities and international universities

In a world where college applications are only getting more intense and increasing costs are emptying pockets, one must prioritize taking the time to build a solid application and exploring all the options available to them before making a crucial decision.