Hello everyone! I've been doing some research about applying to Harvard early and came across the term REA. Can someone please explain what REA stands for, and if it's the same thing as early action or early decision? Thanks!
Hello! REA stands for Restrictive Early Action. It's a type of early application process that falls between Early Action (EA) and Early Decision (ED). Like EA, applying REA means you'll receive your admission decision earlier than those applying in the Regular Decision round, typically around December. However, if admitted, you're not obligated to enroll, as is required under ED.
The "restrictive" part of REA means that there are certain limitations when applying to other colleges during this period. For Harvard, you cannot apply to any private colleges under an EA or ED program while applying REA. You are, however, allowed to apply to public universities and international colleges under their non-binding EA programs. Additionally, you can be considered for rolling admission or apply for specific scholarships at other institutions.
Once you receive your decision from Harvard, if you're not admitted or deferred, you're then free to apply to any other colleges you'd like through their various application processes. So, in summary, REA is similar to EA in that it offers an earlier decision without a binding commitment but carries some restrictions on applying to other colleges concurrently.
For more on REA and what it's all about, check out this CollegeVine article: https://blog.collegevine.com/what-is-restrictive-early-action-when-applying-to-college
Good luck with your application!
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