Does Harvard have an Early Decision option?

Hello everyone, I was wondering if Harvard has an Early Decision option. I've been pretty set on applying to Harvard, and was planning to apply ED somewhere but I couldn't find clear information about this. Can you guys help me out?

Harvard offers an Early Action (EA) program, not Early Decision (ED). Early Action at Harvard is non-binding, that is, you are not obligated to enroll if you are accepted. Instead, you have until May 1st to reply to the offer. The deadline for EA applications is typically November 1st, with decisions released in mid-December.

Do note that Harvard's EA is a 'Restrictive' or 'Single-Choice' Early Action, which means that although you can still apply to any public college/university with a non-binding plan, you are restricted from applying Early Decision or Early Action to other private universities. You can apply regular decision to any institution.

It's also important to note that applying Early Action generally boosts your chances of being admitted, just like ED, due to reduced competition and demonstrating interest in a school, but make sure to have your application at its strongest before applying Early.

If you'd like to learn more about the various Early application paths, I'd check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/ea-vs-ed-vs-rea

Or, if you do end up applying to Harvard and want tips on how to maximize your chances of success, I'd check out this post, which breaks down how to tackle their school-specific supplemental essays: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-harvard-university-essays/. Especially at highly selective schools like Harvard, the essays are often just the thing that distinguishes one qualified applicant from another.

Good luck!