Deciding on early application for college: Is it worth it?

I've been hearing a lot about applying to college early and was wondering if it’s really worth it? What are the pros and cons of early applications?

Applying to college early can have several advantages, but it also comes with some drawbacks. Here's a breakdown of the pros and cons of early applications:

Pros:

1. Increased Chances of Admission: Applying Early Decision (ED) or Early Action (EA) can result in a higher acceptance rate at many selective colleges when compared to Regular Decision (RD). On average, applying ED increases your chances by 1.6x at super selective schools, although this can vary by the institution.

2. Reduced Stress: If you are accepted during the early round, you will know where you'll be attending college sooner, which can relieve some pressure and allow you to enjoy your senior year without the stress of waiting for decisions.

3. Demonstrated Interest: Applying early can show a school that you're genuinely interested in attending, which may be a factor they consider in their admissions process – although this varies by institution.

4. Smaller Applicant Pool: The early application pool is generally smaller than RD, which means less competition among applicants. This could make your application stand out more to the admissions committee.

Cons:

1. Binding Commitment: ED is a binding commitment, which means that if you're accepted, you must attend that college and withdraw all other college applications. This can limit your ability to compare financial aid offers and make a fully informed decision.

2. Less Time to Prepare: Applying early means less time to work on your college applications, which can be a potential drawback if your application needs improvement (e.g., test scores, extracurricular involvement). However, Early Action provides a bit more flexibility as it's non-binding, allowing you to apply to other colleges as well.

3. Financial Aid Considerations: With ED, you'll receive your financial aid package at the same time you're accepted, but since ED is binding, you cannot compare aid packages from other schools. It is possible to back out of an ED agreement if the financial aid package is inadequate, but it's crucial to use each school's net price calculator beforehand for an estimate of your aid package.

4. Potential for Disappointment: If you're not accepted (or deferred) during the early round, you may feel disheartened or demotivated as you continue applying to other colleges in the RD round.

Ultimately, whether or not applying early is worth it depends on your individual circumstances and how much certainty you have about your top choice school. If you're confident that a particular college is your dream school, and you have a strong application, applying ED or EA could be a great strategy. Otherwise, consider all factors and consequences before making a decision.