With the opening of Common App (CA),the largest mainstream application system in the United States, the 2025 US undergraduate application season has officially begun. For many students preparing to apply for US undergraduates, understanding the application rounds and their differences is a crucial step.

You may have heard of early application and regular application, but in fact, early application can be further divided into ED (Early Decision) and EA (Early Action). Some schools even open ED1 and ED2. The difference between these application methods lies in the application time, admission probability and whether it is binding. So what are the specific differences between them? How should students preparing to apply for US undergraduates choose?

Four Ways for College Application

There are four common ways to apply to American colleges and universities, namely: EA and ED in the early application stage, regular admission RD, and rolling admission RA.

1. What is EA?

EA (Early Action) is a non-binding early admission method.

Students in the EA stage can apply to multiple universities at the same time. After receiving the offer, they must choose to accept or reject it by May 1.

The application deadline for EA is generally November 1st, and the deadline for EA for some schools is October 15th or November 15th.

You can apply for EA to multiple schools at the same time, but pay attention to the two special EA policies: REA (Restrictive Early Action): Restrictive Early Application and SCEA (Single Choice Early Action): Single Selective Early Application!

During the REA/SCEA stage, students can only choose one school to apply.

After submitting the REA/SCEA application, you cannot submit ED applications to other universities at the same time. Some schools allow EA applications to be submitted to other public/private schools at the same time, and some schools only allow EA applications to be submitted to public schools at the same time.

2. What is ED?

ED (Early Decision) is a binding and unique early admission method.

Students can only choose one school for ED application. And once admitted, they must accept the offer issued by the school.

Students can submit EA applications to other schools at the same time as submitting ED applications, but if they receive an offer from an ED school, they must withdraw all other submitted applications.

Some colleges and universities have ED1 and ED2 for ED.

Whether applying for ED1 or ED2, you must comply with uniqueness and binding. The application deadline for ED1 is generally in early November, and the deadline for ED2 is generally in early January.

If a student is rejected by ED1 of University A, he or she can continue to apply for ED2 of other universities.

3. What is RD?

RD (Regular Decision) is an application for the regular round.

RD is not subject to any constraints and allows students to apply to multiple schools. After receiving the offer, you must choose to accept or reject the offer before May 1.

Most universities have a regular batch application deadline in early January, and a few schools have an earlier deadline.

Students who choose to apply for the regular batch have more time to prepare, but the corresponding large number of people leads to fierce competition.

4. What is RA?

RA (Rolling Admissions) is an admission method that does not set a clear application or admission deadline.

As long as the student has submitted all the application materials, the school will immediately begin to evaluate and notify the student of the admission result until the enrollment quota is full.

There are relatively few institutions that offer this type of admission, and these schools are often ranked relatively low.

Looking back at the admission rates of American universities in recent application seasons, we will find that compared with the regular application round, the number of students participating in the early application round is often smaller, which makes the early application admission rate look "friendlier" than the regular application admission rate in the data performance of the admission rate.

For example, in the 2023-2024 application season, among the top 10 American universities, Yale University's SCEA early application admission rate is 9%, RD regular application admission rate is 2.75%, and the overall application admission rate is 3.73%; Duke University's ED early application admission rate is 12.9%, RD regular application admission rate is 4.10%, and the overall admission rate is 5.15%; Brown University's ED early application admission rate is 14%, RD regular application admission rate is 3.80%, and the overall admission rate is 5.16%.

Among the top 30 American universities, Vanderbilt University has an early application ED admission rate of 15%, a regular application RD admission rate of 3.7%, and an overall admission rate of 5.09% in the 2023-2024 application season. Similarly, the University of Virginia has two rounds of early application, ED and EA, of which the ED admission rate is 25%, the regular application admission rate for out-of-state students and international students is 11%, and the overall application admission rate is 13%.

Similar early application admission rates that are multiples of the regular application admission rate include the University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Chicago, Cornell University, Emory University, etc.

Some schools even admit more people in the early application stage than in the regular application stage. For example, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology admitted 661 people in the EA early application stage and 614 people in the regular application RD stage in the 2023-2024 application season.

Of course, not all American universities have better early application acceptance rates than regular application acceptance rates. For example, the University of Southern California surprised many students and parents in the last application season. The early application EA acceptance rate was only 7%, lower than the regular application acceptance rate, and the overall acceptance rate was 9.2%.

Therefore, if you can prepare carefully polished application materials before the early application deadline, Embark tutors still recommend that you seize the early application opportunity and strive to get the dream school offer in one fell swoop! Embark tutors have sorted out 10 American universities with high early application rates! Especially for universities that offer EA, you can apply as early as possible to get twice the result with half the effort!

10 BEST Early Action Colleges in 2024

1. University of Miami

Source: University of Miami official website

Early application method: ED&EA

Early application acceptance rate: 57% (ED/EA)

RD acceptance rate: 19%

U.S. News ranking: 67, National Universities

The University of Miami is a private institution founded in 1925 with a total of 12,504 undergraduate students (fall 2022). It is located in the suburbs, with a campus area of 239 acres and tuition and fees of $59,926.

Located in southern Florida, the University of Miami is an ideal place for students who love outdoor activities. There are popular attractions such as South Beach, Florida Keys and Everglades National Park near the school. Students have many opportunities to engage in water sports, hiking and sunbathing. Downtown Miami is also close to the school and is a thriving sports and cultural center. The University of Miami is well-known for its research opportunities, and there are many opportunities to participate in scientific research at the undergraduate level.

The early application deadline for the University of Miami is November 1, and the RD application deadline is January 1. Among the admitted students, the SAT score range is 1310-1480, the ACT score range is 30-33, and the average high school GPA is 3.8.

2. Villanova University

Source: Villanova University official website

Early application method: ED&EA

Early application acceptance rate: 55% (ED)

RD acceptance rate: 23%

U.S. News ranking: 67, National Universities

Villanova University is a private institution founded in 1842 with a total of 6,989 undergraduate students (fall 2022). It is located in the suburbs, with a campus area of 260 acres and tuition and fees of $64,906.

Located outside Philadelphia, Villanova University has six colleges, four of which provide education for undergraduates and graduate students. It is worth mentioning that Villanova University is the host of the world's largest student Special Olympics, and students provide about 250,000 hours of service to the community each year.

The early application deadline for Villanova University is November 1, and the RD application deadline is January 15. Among the admitted students, the SAT score range is 1380-1500, the ACT score range is 32-34, and the average high school GPA is 3.9.

3.Tulane University

Source: Tulane University official website

Early application method: ED&EA

Early application acceptance rate: 68% (ED)

RD acceptance rate: 11%

U.S. News ranking: 73, National Universities

Tulane University is a private institution founded in 1834 with a total of 7,350 undergraduates (fall 2022). The campus is located in the city, covers an area of 110 acres, and tuition and fees are $65,538.

Tulane University is located in New Orleans and is divided into the main uptown campus and the downtown campus, which is the center of the health science program. The school has a highly regarded law school, and its School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine is also the only professional school of its kind in the United States. Women at Tulane University receive additional support through the Newcomb Institute, which hosts seminars and guest lectures and provides mentors for young women~

The ED application deadline for Tulane University is November 1, the EA application deadline is November 15, and the RD application deadline is January 15. Among the admitted students, the SAT score range is 1370-1510, the ACT score range is 31-33, and the average high school GPA is 3.7.

4. American University

Source: American University official website

Early application method: ED

Early application acceptance rate: 86%

RD acceptance rate: 41%

U.S. News ranking: 105, National Universities

American University is a private institution founded in 1893 with a total of 7,917 undergraduate students (fall 2022). The campus is located in the city, covers an area of 90 acres, and the tuition and fees are $56,544.

American University students benefit from the school's location in the political center of the United States. Washington, DC is a playground for politically and socially oriented people, with countless museums, restaurants, clubs and year-round activities. The university has eight unique colleges, including the highly regarded Washington Law School, and the School of International Service is also one of the top ten schools of international affairs in the United States. In addition, more than 50% of the university's undergraduates will study abroad.

The ED application deadline for American University is November 15, and the RD application deadline is January 15. Among the admitted students, the SAT score range is 1290-1435, and the ACT score range is 29-33.

5. Yeshiva University

Source: Yeshiva University official website

Early application method: ED

Early application acceptance rate: 100%

RD acceptance rate: 63%

U.S. News ranking: 105, National Universities

Yeshiva University is a private institution founded in 1886 with a total of 2,207 undergraduate students (fall 2022). The campus is located in the city and covers an area of 300 acres. Tuition and fees are $49,900. Yeshiva University is a Jewish institution in New York City. It is divided into three undergraduate colleges: Yeshiva College, Stern College for Women, and the School of Business. Each college is located in various parts of Manhattan, and the university shuttle system transports students between campuses.

The ED application deadline for Yeshiva University is November 1, and the RD application deadline is February 1. Among the admitted students, the SAT score range is 1250-1500, the ACT score range is 26-33, and the average high school GPA is 3.5.

6. Providence College

Source: Providence College official website

Early application method: ED&EA

Early application acceptance rate: 87% (ED)

RD acceptance rate: 53%

U.S. News ranking: 1, Regional Universities (North)

Providence College is a private college founded in 1917 with a total of 4,279 undergraduate students (fall 2022). It is located in the city, with a campus area of 105 acres and tuition and fees of $60,848.

Located in Providence, Rhode Island, Providence College is the only college in the United States run by Dominican friars. It includes four colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the College of Professional Studies, and the School of Continuing Studies. It offers nearly 50 majors, and all undergraduates must complete the core curriculum, which is centered on a two-year Western Civilization Development Program.

Providence College's early application deadline is November 1, and the RD application deadline is January 15. Among the admitted students, the SAT score range is 1260-1420, the ACT score range is 28-32, and the average high school GPA is 3.6.

7. The College of New Jersey

Source: The College of New Jersey official website

Early application method: ED

Early application acceptance rate: 97%

RD acceptance rate: 64%

U.S. News ranking: 4, Regional Universities (North)

The College of New Jersey is a public institution founded in 1855 with a total of 7,039 undergraduate students (fall 2022). It is located in the suburbs, with a campus area of 289 acres. The in-state tuition and fees are $17,980 and the out-of-state tuition and fees are $30,774. It offers more than 50 undergraduate programs in seven colleges.

The early application deadline for the College of New Jersey is November 1, and the RD application deadline is February 1. Among the admitted students, the SAT score range is 1140-1350 and the ACT score range is 24-30.

8. Grinnell College

Source: Grinnell College official website

Early application method: ED

Early application acceptance rate: 51%

RD acceptance rate: 11%

U.S. News ranking: 11, National Liberal Arts Colleges

Grinnell College is a private institution founded in 1846 with a total of 1,759 undergraduate students (fall 2022). The campus is located in the countryside, covering an area of 120 acres, and the tuition and fees are $64,862. Despite its remote location, this small school on the prairie has a lot to offer, from the G-Tones a cappella group for music lovers to the environmental organization Free the Plant for tree lovers, Grinnell College has more than 100 student organizations.

The early application deadline for Grinnell College is November 15, and the RD application deadline is January 15. Among admitted students, the SAT score range is 1380-1530, and the ACT score range is 31-34.

9. College of the Holy Cross

Source: College of the Holy Cross official website

Early application method: ED

Early application acceptance rate: 81%

RD acceptance rate: 36%

U.S. News ranking: 27, National Liberal Arts Colleges

Holy Cross College is a private college founded in 1843 with a total of 3,233 undergraduate students (fall 2022). The campus is located in the city, covers an area of 174 acres, and the tuition and fees are $60,850.

Worcester, Massachusetts is the second largest city in New England and a thriving college town. Holy Cross College is one of more than a dozen colleges in the area, so students have a variety of dining, nightlife and outdoor activities. On the campus of Holy Cross College, students can also choose from more than 100 clubs and organizations to participate. As the only Jesuit college in the United States that exclusively recruits undergraduates, Holy Cross College offers activities and retreats throughout the academic year. The student body is primarily Catholic, but all faiths are welcome.

The early application deadline for Holy Cross College is November 15, and the RD application deadline is January 15. Among the admitted students, the SAT score range is 1260-1430, and the ACT score range is 28-32.

10. Trinity University

Source: Trinity University official website

Early application method: ED&EA

Early application acceptance rate: 67% (EA)

RD acceptance rate: 31%

U.S. News ranking: 59, National Liberal Arts Colleges

Trinity University is a private institution founded in 1869 with a total of 2,512 undergraduates (fall 2022). The campus is located in the city, covers an area of 125 acres, and the tuition and fees are $51,352. In addition to undergraduate Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Arts degrees, Trinity College also awards Master of Arts in Teaching, School Administration, and School Psychology, as well as Master of Science in Accounting and Healthcare Management. Undergraduates can choose from more than 40 majors and must complete a distribution requirement designed to provide a comprehensive liberal arts education. More than 40% of students take advantage of study abroad programs around the world.

The early application deadline for Trinity University is November 1, and the RD application deadline is January 15. Among the admitted students, the SAT score range is 1310-1470, the ACT score range is 29-33, and the average high school GPA is 3.8.

There is only one ED choice, but there are many EA choices. If you are interested in applying to the above universities, you must do it early!

US College Application Timeline for Fall Admission

• August 2024

① Common App (CA), the main application system for American colleges, is open.

In the CA system, applicants only need to fill out one application form and use it to apply for multiple universities. However, it is not enough to just write one application form. Many universities have supplementary materials that must be submitted, including some additional questions, forms or additional documents.

Note: The CA system is applicable to more than 1,000 universities in the United States. Except for MIT, Georgetown University and the University of California, most schools can use CA to apply.

② Coalition for College is open at the same time.

The main advantage of CAAS is that it waives the university application fee and can record the growth process of students. It allows students to register an account in the 9th grade and record their own grades.

Note: CAAS currently has 150 partner institutions, including popular schools such as Harvard, Yale, and Washington University in St. Louis. Most schools that cooperate with CAAS also support Commom App.

• October 2024

The University of California application system (UC) can be applied and submitted.

Note: The UC system is applicable to the following nine schools: UCLA, Berkeley, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Davis, Irvine, Santa Cruz, Riverside, and Merced.

• November 2024

ED1 and EA application deadline.

Students need to plan the regular batch of school selection lists and prepare application materials at this stage.

• December 2024-February 2025

December 2, UC application deadline.

ED2 and RD application deadline for most schools in early January.

ED1 is generally released in mid-December, EA is generally released in mid-December to early January, and ED2 is generally released in February.

• March-May 2025

The results of the US regular admission application will be released in March and April.

If you are put on the waitlist by the school, keep in touch with the school and strive for the opportunity to become a regular student.

Accept the offer of the school of your choice, pay the deposit and apply for an I-20 (proof of stay in the United States) from the school.

Apply for a visa.

US Top30 College Application Deadlines for Fall Admission

The application deadlines for different schools vary, making it difficult to find. Embark has compiled a table of the application deadlines for the 2025 US NEWS TOP30 American universities for everyone to check.

*The specific information is subject to the official website release time

Competition for U.S. College application is fierce. If you are considering applying to a top-ranked university, you must plan early.

Embark was founded in 2016. It is an educational institution focusing on customized scientific research training for teenagers. The core team members are all master's and doctoral graduates from prestigious American universities. Since its establishment, it has exclusively signed more than 3,000 mentors from the Ivy League, MIT, California Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins JHU, Carnegie Mellon CMU, Top 30 U.S. Universities, National Key Laboratories, UK G5, Max Planck Institute, ETH Zurich, National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, and other world-renowned universities. It has guided students to win nearly a thousand awards in major global scientific research competitions through customized scientific research training and helped them successfully enter world-renowned universities such as Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Oxford, and Cambridge.

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