Early decision (ED) and early action (EA) results are rolling in this month, and many of you are getting the results you want. Hurray! I am so excited for you. 

I Got Accepted to My Early Decision College! 

After all your hard work, an acceptance to your ED school is the best news ever. If you can meet the financial commitment for the school, you are all set. If not, you may be able to negotiate with the financial aid office or withdraw your commitment. Beware that schools assume you have done your financial calculations before you apply, so if the issue is an “I don’t want to pay” more than an “I can’t pay,” you will not necessarily be off the hook. 

Early Decision Acceptance Checklist

If you are good to go financially, you likely need to send in an 

• Enrollment commitment and deposit soon, so check your deadlines

• Make sure to send mid-year grades and any additional financial information required

• You must withdraw your applications after you commit to your ED school

• Don’t forget about housing. Many schools require housing deposits very early in the process, and the date you apply for housing can affect your priority in the process.

I Got Accepted to My Early Action Restrictive College! 

If you were admitted under a Restrictive Early Action program at a school like Stanford or Princeton, amazing job! You may keep your applications in at other schools and even apply to additional schools. Go right ahead! You don’t have to make any decisions now other than whether to stick with what you have or apply out in addition. 

If, on the other hand, you know you plan to attend your Restrictive Early Action school, please accept the offer and withdraw all your other applications in fairness to other applicants. 

I Got Accepted to My Early Action and Rolling Colleges!

We know that in addition to binding outcomes, you are getting all kinds of decisions back from September through February for your non-binding early action and rolling decision colleges. As with any non binding option, if you are still waiting on other decisions, celebrate, but DO NOT accept any offer until you are ready, no matter how much email pressure you get.

That said, don’t forget about housing. Many schools require housing deposits very early in the process, and the date you apply for housing can affect your priority in the process. Some students will decide to put down housing deposits before they know whether they are accepting an enrollment offer— research your schools to know where this is important.

I Got Deferred or Rejected During Early Decision, Restrictive Early Action, or Early Action. Can I Still Get into My Dream School? 

Getting deferred or rejected is not the news you were hoping for in this early round, but most students are going to face some rejection during this process. You are not alone. Take a moment for yourself and feel what you need to feel: punch a pillow, dive into a pint of ice cream, cry a few tears– or all of the above! 

Second, decide what you want to do next:

What Are My Options after Deferral or Rejection from Early Decision?

If  you were deferred or rejected from your Early Decision school, you are now released from your binding agreement. Once you get over your frustration and disappointment, you need to consider your strategy for moving forward.

• If you were rejected, then that decision is final for this application cycle. You may not re-apply there this year. Many students ask if they can reach out to admissions. I strongly advise not to. Admissions is inundated with complaints and angry requests for information, and I don’t see what you would gain. If, on the other hand, you have formed a strong relationship with an admissions officer, you may ask them if there is anything they can tell you about the outcome. It could help you as you edit any applications you are putting in for regular decision or ED round 2. Parents, do not, under any circumstances, reach out on behalf of your kid. This is something they need to handle.

• If you were deferred and are still interested in the ED school, read the deferral letter to learn what you can submit. New information is the most persuasive:

• Can you send additional letters of recommendation? 

• A letter of continued interest? 

• Updated grades and scores? 

If you move forward with more submissions, give them as much attention as you gave your original Early Decision application, and get them in by any deadline the school has set.

Should I Apply Early Decision Round 2?

If you want to have another go at Early Decision, many schools offer Early Decision Round 2. These schools include Emory, Tulane, the University of Chicago, and several others. 

Students usually apply Round 2 for the same reason as they applied during Round 1: at many schools the chance of getting in is much higher during these rounds because of yield considerations. If selectivity is your most important consideration, and you can make the personal and financial commitment, this is likely the path for you. 

Can I Change My Regular/Early Action Application at a School to Early Decision Round 2? 

Sometimes students worry that changing their application status to ED 2 will indicate to the school that they have been rejected from their first choice. Don’t give it a second thought. Schools are happy to consider you for early decision in any round to protect their yield numbers. 

Can I Apply Early Decision Round 2 if I Never Applied Anywhere Early Decision Round 1?

You can! If you decide at this juncture to pursue early decision, you can absolutely start now and meet the ED 2 deadline. 

What if I Was Deferred or Rejected from Early Action?

As with Early Decision, if you are rejected, you may not reapply for this application cycle. If you are deferred from Early Action and still want to be considered for regular decision, find out what more you can do to supplement your application, if anything, and do it. See above. 

If I Was Deferred and Want to Stay in the Regular Decision Round for My ED or EA School, When Will I Know If I Got In?

Your deferred application will be considered during the regular decision period, so you will then have your acceptance or rejection when all the other regular decision applicants receive theirs, typically sometime between February and April 1. 

In the meantime, if you are getting ready to accept an offer but are unsure how to understand the financial commitment, check out my blog post: How to Read Your Financial Award Letter.