CNU Early Decision vs Early Action 2019

Wilson98
Fri, 27 Jul 2018 20:10:14 +0000

The big difference is that if you apply ED you HAVE to go to that school if accepted (and if you can possibly afford it). Also, you find out about ED at CNU on Dec. 15 and EA on Jan. 15. Theoretically, it could help to know the decision by Dec. 15. If the applicant is in, they don’t have to bother putting in any more applications with due dates of Jan. 1 or Jan. 15. If they’re not in, they have time to send in more applications.

The advantage of EA would be the possibility of seeing if the applicant gets into other schools, either other EA schools by January or RD schools by April 1. Whatever happens, you would have until May 1 to decide where to go with EA.

My opinion would be that if by November there are no other schools the applicant wants to apply to that might be better or more affordable, and if they can definitely afford the possible cost of CNU, then ED may be the way to go. There’s at least a slight chance that ED could make the difference between getting in or not. It would have to be affordable though: CNU costs about $27,000 plus some expenses in-state, and you wouldn’t know at the time of applying what (if any) scholarships the applicant might get. CNU has a Net Price Calculator, but it is the lousy kind that doesn’t tell you much of anything.

On the other hand, if a possibly preferred school is under consideration, it could be worth not doing ED in order to see options. (As long as the applicant still has at least one pretty certain option they like no matter what happens.)