EA choice suggestions

Chance Me / Match Me
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So just to clarify, there are a variety of early application options.

In terms of where else you can apply early, the most restrictive is Restrictive Early Action/Single Choice Early Action. You need to check the specific terms, but usually the gist is you cannot apply to any other US private colleges early, and nowhere else binding. But typically you can apply to US public colleges early, or non-US colleges early, as long as it is non-binding.

Early Decision is restrictive in that you can only apply to one college ED at a time. But possibly you can do what is called ED 1, and then if not admitted, do another college ED 2 (assuming it is offered). You can also typically apply ED 2 if not admitted REA/SCEA. Usually ED colleges do not care if you apply other places early, as long as that is not binding.

And then Early Action is not binding, and does not limit where else you can apply early.

So usually, your options include:

  1. Apply REA/SCEA at one college, early non-binding at US publics and non-US colleges, and possibly ED 2 at another college;

  2. Apply ED 1 at one college, early non-binding anywhere else, and possibly ED 2 at another college;

  3. Apply Early Action at potentially many colleges, and possibly ED 2 at one college.

OK, so, you need to decide if you want to apply ED 1 or REA/SCEA anywhere. There are various potentially good reasons not to, so this is not an automatic decision.

If you apply ED 1, you also then need to decide where, if anywhere, you want to apply non-binding EA.

If you apply REA/SCEA, you also need to decide if there are any publics where you would want to apply early (you’ve already applied early outside the US, which is fine).

And in either case, you may want to start thinking about a possible ED 2 college.

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