Early action and early decision are both timeframes for submitting a college admissions application and receiving a decision, and in both cases, students will submit their application and receive a decision earlier than students adhering to the regular deadlines. The primary difference between early action vs. early decision is that early action is non-binding, whereas early decision is binding.^{(See disclaimer 1)} When is the best time to apply for college? The application deadline you should choose depends on factors unique to you, including your college goals.

Why would some students choose to apply to their chosen colleges before the regular deadlines? Does applying early to college help?

It’s commonly thought that early applications yield higher acceptance rates because the pool of applications is smaller at this early stage. That is, the earlier you apply, the better your chances may be of getting accepted. This isn’t necessarily universally true, however, and in fact, higher acceptance rates among early applicants could be due to the stronger academic competitiveness of students who apply early, according to CollegeBoard.^{(See disclaimer 1)}

That said, applying earlier than the regular deadline may offer some advantages, such as less uncertainty about your future.

Early action allows college applicants to apply to college earlier and receive a decision earlier than regular decision applicants. When deciding whether to apply via early action, consider the following:

Definition and Key Features

Early action allows for earlier admissions decisions, but it offers nonbinding decisions. That means that you are not obligated to attend a college that you were accepted to via an early action application.

Additionally, it’s usually possible to apply early action to multiple schools. Some highly competitive colleges, such as the Ivy Leagues, offer restrictive early action. This means you can only apply via early action to that single school, but you may apply via early decision elsewhere.^{(See disclaimer 2)}

When is early acceptance for college? It varies from one school to the next. Typically, early action applications are due by the beginning or middle of November. Early action admissions decisions are usually sent out between December and February.

Note that even if you submit an application via early action, you will still have until the National College Decision Day on May 1 to accept one admissions offer and decline the rest of them.^{(See disclaimer 2)}

Pros and Cons of Early Action

Consider the pros and cons of applying via early action before you do so. Some of the potential disadvantages may include:

• There may be more competition among applicants.^{(See disclaimer 1)}
• Your fall grades and test scores may not be ready in time for inclusion in your applications.
• You might feel that you need more time to explore your options and narrow down your shortlist of colleges.

On the other hand, there are numerous potential benefits of applying via early action, such as:

• Earlier eligibility for scholarships
• More time to make an enrollment decision
• Less stress, as applications are done early
• Non-binding admissions decision
• Priority housing and course selection (depending on the school)

At Grand Canyon University, we do not use early action, early decision or regular decision deadlines. Rather, we review applications on a rolling admissions basis. However, we strongly encourage students to apply to GCU as early as possible. 

Applying early to GCU allows you to enjoy extra time for orientation and transition into college life. You can also begin to explore scholarship availability and your other financial aid offers sooner. At GCU, early applicants can register for housing and classes early on. Plus, our supportive admissions team is here to assist you through the process.

Early decision is similar to early action, but not quite the same. There are some key differences to be aware of.

Definition and Key Features

Like early action, early decision allows you to submit an application and receive an admissions decision earlier than regular decision applicants. Unlike early action, applying via early decision is binding. That means if you get accepted to that school, you are already committed to attending it, and you must withdraw your applications submitted to other schools.^{(See disclaimer 2)}

No matter which schools you apply to, you can only choose one school to submit an application via early decision.^{(See disclaimer 2)} If you don’t gain admittance to that school, you are free to accept enrollment elsewhere.

When is early acceptance for college via early decision? Early decision applicants are typically due in November. Admissions decisions are typically sent out in December.

Pros and Cons of Early Decision

Some of the potential disadvantages of applying via early decision could include:

• You are obligated to enroll and cannot consider other colleges if accepted to your early decision school.
• You are not able to compare financial aid offers from other schools if accepted to your early decision school.
• While other students have until National College Decision Day to make an enrollment decision, you will essentially be making an enrollment decision no later than November when you submit your application. You’ll need to be absolutely sure of your decision earlier.

While the disadvantages should be carefully considered, you’ll also want to weigh the potential advantages of applying via early decision:

• You might have less stress knowing that you’ve already made an enrollment decision (assuming you’re accepted).
• Applying via early decision sends a clear message to the school that it is your top choice.
• Receiving an admissions decision in December provides more time for planning your transition into college.

Not all schools offer early action and/or early decision. In fact, some schools do not even offer regular decision deadlines. These schools, such as GCU, offer rolling admissions.

The rolling admissions process is the simplest, most streamlined one for students to follow, as it’s possible to submit an application as soon as it’s ready. Students can apply quite early if they wish to take advantage of the benefits of doing so. Yet, if students are still finalizing their college plans, it’s also possible to submit an application later.

GCU’s admissions team accepts applications from students 16 years of age and older. Here’s what you can expect from the process:

• SAT or ACT test scores are not required unless GPA requirements are not met.
• There is no application fee.
• There is no admissions essay required.
• There is no enrollment deposit required.
• You can apply for admission online with high school transcripts that demonstrate an unweighted GPA of at least 3.0 (or at least 2.5 with qualifying test scores). If you are a transfer student, submit your college transcripts.

It’s easy to get started. Simply request info and connect with a university counselor. 

Generally speaking, it’s ideal to apply as early as possible. This is particularly true if you’re applying to a rolling admissions school like GCU, as applications are reviewed as they are submitted.

If you are also applying to schools that offer early action and/or early decision, consider the following:

• Commitment: Are you absolutely certain that you know what your top college is? If so, consider applying early decision. If not, apply early action.
• Financial aid: If your college education is heavily dependent on financial aid, consider applying early action or regular decision to compare financial aid offers.
• Grades: If you feel that your grades, test scores and extracurriculars are strong enough by the end of your junior year, then apply early action and/or early decision. If not, then wait to apply regular decision and work on improving your competitiveness during the fall semester.

Grand Canyon University simplifies the admissions process. Rather than using early decision, early action and regular application deadlines, we use a rolling admissions process. This means our admissions team reviews applications as they are submitted, enabling us to provide you with an admissions decision much earlier. You won’t have to wait months to plan your future at GCU.

You can apply today for undergraduate admissions, either as an on-campus or online student. Fill out the form on this page to connect with a university counselor, who can help you navigate the process and choose from a vast assortment of bachelor’s degrees.