RD vs REA vs ED vs EA: What’s the difference?
Originally written Summer '23
Jack Beecher here.
As a former senior who just completed the process, it’s easy for me to understand and relate to the common worries and confusion about the admissions process. There’s so much scattered information around the internet it makes writing essays, building a school list, and choosing activities to participate in really confusing.
But by far, for me, the most confusing part of the process was deciding what windows to apply to each school in. There’s ED, REA, EA, ED II, RD, Rolling Admissions, and some other ones I’m probably forgetting, and last year at this time, I had no idea what each one was, let alone which ones to apply in. So I wanted to make the simplest guide I could to not only describe what each window is but why you should consider applying in it.
ED - Early Decision
Applications are typically due November 1
Mostly Elite schools (ivies, top-20s, some top-50s offer this)
It’s binding (if you get in, you have to go)
Decisions come back middle of December
Why would anyone want to apply ED if it’s binding? It’s because ED applicants get a huge multiplier in admissions chances. To prove this, here’s a chart with all Ivies' early decision vs regular decision acceptance rates from last year's admissions cycle. (Some colleges don’t make their stats readily available, so that’s why there's missing data.)
Look at that: applying to Dartmouth ED gives you a 21% acceptance rate, that’s more than four times the 5% regular decision rate. That means by applying ED you only elevate your chances of getting into a top-level school. Of course, you are committed to that school if you get in, you don’t get an option. But for some families, that might be worth it. To learn more about the ED window, watch this Jack Delehey youtube video: 2 College Admissions Cheat Codes.
Notice these are only the ivies. For other top-20s (Vanderbilt, Duke, Northwestern), the ED multiplier is even higher.
RD - Regular Decision
Pretty much all schools offer it
Applications are typically due January 1
Not binding
The most common way to apply to schools
Decisions come back in late March
I’m sure most of you are familiar with RD, as I did just address it in the ED section. It’s how you apply to most, if not all, of the schools on your list. It offers a lower chance of admissions than other windows, but it’s not binding; it’s pretty typical admissions.
EA - Early Action
Applications are typically due around November 1
Not binding
Decisions come out from mid-December to mid-February
This is when it starts to get confusing: what’s the difference between EA and ED. Well, think about it this way: EA isn’t binding, which means if you get in, you don’t have to go, but since it’s not binding, there’s no increased chance of admissions.
Then why would anyone apply early? Because then you can get your applications done and out of the way sooner, and in return, get the decisions back earlier. I personally EA’d to a couple of schools and was happy getting some acceptances under my belt before the typically RD late March decision date.
REA - Restrictive Early Action
Only offered by the super-elite schools (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc)
Not binding if you get in
Can’t apply to any other private schools early action
Same due date, Nov 1, as most EA and ED schools
Decisions come back in mid-December
For many, REA won’t apply. Unless you have your heart set on one of the less than 10-ish schools that do this, don’t worry about it. But if you are planning to apply to the Harvards and Yales of the world, listen up.
REA, like ED, gives a huge boost in acceptance rate.
Look at this graph again, but this time, pay attention to Harvard and Yale, the only two REA schools in this picture that offer their data. Harvard’s REA rate was around 8%, 3 times higher than the RD rate of 2.5% ish. Note that 3 times isn't as much of a boost as Dartmouth’s 4 times, but in this case, it’s not binding. If you get into Harvard REA, you don’t have to go. Obviously that sounds a little insane, but that is why top schools offer REA. They know you’re going to go if you get in.
So what’s the drawback of REA? You can’t EA to other private schools. For example, I REA’d to Princeton, which meant I couldn’t EA to USC and the other private schools on my list that offered it. But I could, however, EA to public schools like UNC and UVA.
For many pursuing admissions into top-level universities, REA shouldn’t dissuade you much. That was my strategy. If your eyes are set on an Ivy, and you don’t want to ED, you might as well throw your name in the hat for an REA school. Did it work? No, but 92% of the time it’s not going to. Just like all admissions, it’s a risk; there’s no easy way into a top-10 school, but REA definitely helps.
Others
For most universities you apply to, those four categories will cover most of the windows. I didn’t mention ED II or Rolling Admissions, but those both, in their own ways, are pretty easy to understand. Think of ED II as a second chance at ED. You didn’t get into your first school ED, so now you can take the same binding risk of having to go to a college for the same increased chance of admission. Vanderbilt is a famous ED II school.
Rolling Admissions, on the other hand, applies to most state/safety schools you might be applying to. You can apply whenever, and they’ll probably let you know within a week if you’re in the school. It’s super easy, and how I applied to Alabama and Iowa.
If you’re confused at all between the different windows and which ones are right for your family, don’t hesitate to book a free 45-minute call to figure out a specific strategy for you. You can also join our completely free College Confidence Community, which is filled with like-minded parents, to ask questions and find people who applied in the different windows. Both are great options if you’re just looking for free, easy help that will tremendously boost your application chances. As an added bonus, in the College Confidence Community, there’s a video in our classroom section that will walk you through each application window in even greater depth.
That’s all from me. I hope you’re starting to grasp the different windows and what ones you plan to apply in.
Best of luck,
Jack Beecher
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