Hey everyone, I'm thinking of applying to colleges early - but I'm really unsure if that means I'm bound to attend if I get an offer. Can anyone confirm this for me?
Certainly, happy to clear this up for you. Early applications can come in two general forms: Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA).
When you submit an Early Decision application, you are indeed making a binding commitment to enroll in the college if you are admitted. If you apply ED, you should be completely certain that this is the college you want to attend, as the only acceptable reason to back out of an ED acceptance is typically if you receive an inadequate financial aid package.
On the other hand, an Early Action application is not binding. If you're admitted to a college under EA, you're under no obligation to attend that college and you have until May 1 (often known as National Decision Day) to make your final college decision.
I hope that clarifies things! Just make sure to thoroughly review the admissions policies of any schools you're considering, as they can sometimes differ.
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