Single Choice Early Action (SCEA) | Early Action (EA) | Early Decision (ED) | |
Binding | Non binding | Non binding | Binding - A student who is accepted as an ED applicant must attend the college |
Application to multiple schools | Students can't apply ED or EA to other school with a few exceptions* (check each school) | Yes, students can apply to multiple schools | No, students must withdraw applications from other schools if accepted |
Decision timeline | Receive decision in early to mid December | Receive decision in early to mid December | Receive decision around the same time as EA |
<SCEA exceptions>
Some elite schools use SCEA or Restrictive Early Action (REA), including Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Princeton, and the University of Notre Dame :
It is Stanford policy that you may simultaneously apply to Stanford with a decision plan of Restrictive Early Action and to any college/university with the characteristics described below:
Any public college/university with an early application or early deadline plan if their decision is non-binding
Any college/university with a rolling admission process if their decision is non-binding
Any non-U.S. college/university if their decision is non-binding
Any military academy
Any college/university under Early Action or by an early deadline if the decision plan is both non-binding and applying early is required to be considered for a scholarship or special academic program. Please see the FAQ section below for examples.
The early admissions program is a non-binding rolling admission program.
The early admissions program is a non-binding early program at a public institution.
The early admissions program is an Early Decision or Early Action program that notifies applicants after January 1.
The early admissions program is at an institution outside the United States.
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