should i wait to apply to college

Answered

Hi @Liljawonhimself!

There are 2 ways juniors can apply early: early decision and early action. Unfortunately, it may be too late to apply either ways now (deadlines normally in November). Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA) are two types of early application processes that colleges and universities may offer. They both allow students to apply and receive admission decisions earlier than the Regular Decision process. Here are the main differences between the two:

Early Decision (ED):

This is a binding agreement, which means if you're accepted under ED, you're committed to attending that school and must withdraw all other college applications.

You can typically apply to only one school through ED. The deadline for ED applications is usually in November, and you'll receive the decision in December or January. If accepted, you must submit your enrollment deposit by the specified deadline (usually in the spring).

Early Action (EA):

Unlike ED, EA is a non-binding agreement. You're not obligated to attend the school if accepted.You can apply to multiple schools through EA. The deadline for EA applications is usually in November, similar to ED, and you'll receive the decision in December or January. If accepted, you have until the national decision deadline (May 1st) to decide whether to enroll.

Both options can have advantages, such as potentially increasing your chances of acceptance and reducing stress by receiving decisions earlier. However, ED is a serious commitment and should only be chosen if you're certain that the school is your top choice.

Since the deadline for EA and ED are past, you will unfortunately have to wait until next fall/late summer (some colleges allow you to apply regularly as early as August 1st of your senior year). As far as the SAT/ACT, many schools are test-optional and it is not required. Check the policies of the schools you are interested in. BUT if you are already scoring well on the PSAT, you may want to give the SAT a shot.

Hope this helps! If you have any questions, reply to this and I will be happy to help!