EA App Quantities

I've been working on my college applications and I was wondering how many schools I can apply to using Early Action (EA)? Does the number vary based on different universities?

The number of schools that you can apply to via Early Action is not limited by the universities themselves. You have the freedom to apply to as many schools as you’d like via Early Action, as long as you can manage the application workload. Early Action is non-binding, meaning you’re not obligated to enroll if accepted, so universities tend to be flexible.

However, there are certain colleges that offer a more restrictive Early Action process, often referred to as Single-Choice Early Action (SCEA), or Restrictive Early Action (REA). The policies for these vary by university, but typically they stipulate that you cannot apply to any other colleges under an Early Action or Early Decision plan, although you can still apply to colleges under normal Regular Decision timelines.

Key universities that offer this include Stanford, Yale, Harvard, and Princeton. Always make sure to check each university's individual policy on their website to ensure you're compliant with their requirements.

Also remember to keep track of your applications and plan your time well. Consider the time you'll need to complete each application, the cost of application fees, and how you'll manage the responses and make a decision if attending multiple colleges becomes a possibility.