Should I apply early action if I've only taken the ACT?

Applying to College
1

<p>I’m a junior and heard that early action applicants are more likely to be accepted. I’ve taken the ACT once and am unsure how I scored, but I think I did pretty good. I’m retaking it the fall of my senior year, as well as my first SAT.</p>

<p>Should I bother applying early action without an SAT score? I’m on the west coast, so although schools say they have no preference, I think I would be at a disadvantage since most people here take the SAT rather than the ACT.
Also, can I apply to the same schools during the regular application if I was rejected early action?</p>

2

<p>You need to be more specific. If the schools says that they take either the SAT or ACT why would you not believe them. </p>

3

<p>206: you need some clarity here. MOST students who apply to colleges never bother to take more than one test ACT or SAT. When your results come in and if you’re satisfied (and if none of your target colleges require SAT II subject tests), then you’re done – congrats! </p>

<p>As to your perception that you may be disadvantaged by only taking the ACT, have a read here: <a href=“Do colleges care more about SAT or ACT?? - Applying to College - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1659194-do-colleges-care-more-about-sat-or-act-p1.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>If you apply EA or ED and are rejected, you are not allowed to apply RD (at least for a year).</p>

4

<p>EA and ED are self selective, which makes it easier to get in.</p>

5

<p>The real question is whether your ACT score will make you a strong candidate at the schools you are applying to. If it comes back and is less than what you were hoping for, EA may not be for you, you may be better served taking the ACT a second time and the SAT, and applying RD to your schools (unless you can get your scores in time for EA, that will be on a school by school basis). </p>

<p>Taking the ACT instead of the SAT does not put you at a disadvantage, nor does taking the SAT instead of the ACT put you at a disadvantage. Man, that myth just refuses to die!</p>

6

<p>“EA and ED are self selective, which makes it easier to get in.” Easier for whom? The recruited athletes --sure. For them it’s only a formality. But for the very selective school, unless you already are well within the metric norms of admitted students, you don’t get an extra boost. For less selective ones, esp those that consider “demonstrated interest”, ED is a boost. </p>

<p>But ED isn’t something to be entered into lightly.</p>