Collection: A Super Detailed Summary of 2023Fall US Undergraduate Application Deadlines!

Date：2022-08-31   Author：admin

On August 1st, the Common Applilcation application system for undergraduate programs in the United States officially opened, marking the arrival of a new application season

In the following text, Senior Sister Xiao E has compiled the application deadlines for the TOP50 comprehensive universities and the TOP40 liberal arts colleges in the United States. However, before delving into the specific application deadlines of each institution, let's also take a look at the four application rounds in the US undergraduate application process: ED, EA, RD, and RA!

Application rounds for American undergraduate programs


1. ED (Early Decision) Early admission
Early Decision (ED) is a unique and binding early application that requires applicants to apply to only one school. Once admitted, they must give up the opportunity to apply to other schools.

The advantage of ED is its relatively high admission rate, which is two to three times higher than that of regular admission. When choosing an ED school, students can a school with a slightly higher score level than themselves and strive for their dream school. However, they must not easily violate the ED agreement, otherwise it will cause serious consequences. Therefore, everyone must be cautious when choosing an ED school.

The application results for Early Decision (ED) usually fall into three categories: admission, rejection, and delay (the application materials will be placed in the "Regular Admission" section).

Some schools also have ED2, which is also unique and binding.

2. EA (Early Action) Early application
EA is a non-unique and non-binding early decision admission. That is, students can apply to multiple EA schools at the same time and combine them with Early Decision. After being admitted, they can also choose not to attend.

EA does not have exclusivity. In principle, there is no limit to the number of applications. However, applying to too many schools at this stage may lead to insufficiently high-quality application documents. Therefore, it is more reasonable to apply to 2-3 institutions. Students can make the best choice based on their personal circumstances.

The application results for Early Decision (ED) usually fall into three categories: admission, rejection, and delay.

The EA policy used by Georgetown University is rather special. It can be applied for simultaneously with other eas, but not with Early Decision schools.

REA (Restrictive Early Action)
Restricted early application
REA is restrictive but not binding. Restrictions are specifically divided into two categories: One is that if you apply for the restricted or single-choice EA of this university, you cannot apply for the Early Decision (ED) of other universities, nor can you apply for the Early Decision (EA) of other private universities, but you can apply for the non-restricted EA of other public universities. Another category is that if you apply for the restricted Early decision (EA) of this university, you cannot apply for the Early Decision (ED) of other universities at the same time, but you can apply for the Early Decision (EA) of other universities.

The application results for REA usually fall into three categories: admission, rejection, and delay.

3. Regular Decision (RD) Regular admission
RD has no binding or restrictions. Students can freely choose the schools they apply to, and after being admitted, they can also freely decide whether to go or not.

The application results for RD usually fall into three categories: admission, rejection, and waiting for candidates.

Waitlist: Being placed on a waiting list. Many schools require applicants to officially accept being placed on a waiting list. In such cases, applicants need to inform the school in writing. Some schools require applicants to their transcripts or experiences, while others explicitly tell students not to do so. Please be sure to follow the instructions to avoid being directly rejected.

4. RA (Rolling Admission) Rolling admission
There is no definite application or admission deadline for RA. Students can apply throughout the year or from spring to fall. The earlier the application materials are submitted, the more advantageous it is. It follows a first-come, first-served policy.

Although some schools support rolling admission, there are still priority deadlines. If students have a strong intention to apply to these schools, they should try their best to meet the priority deadlines. For schools that have not set priority deadlines, it is advisable for students to apply as early as possible.

Advantages of RA: There is ample time for preparation and exam preparation, and there are many schools to choose from. Disadvantage of RA: Prestigious universities generally offer fewer RA programs.

There are usually two possible outcomes for RA applications: admission or rejection.

Comparison table of ED, EA, RD and RA


Application plan for American undergraduate programs

Overall plan


When students have a clear choice of their preferred institutions and have prepared complete application materials, they can choose ED/ED1 or ED2. When choosing an ED, your own conditions must meet the basic requirements of the school. Do not blindly pursue high standards and waste the opportunity.

When students have prepared complete application materials before November but do not have a clear application goal or their goals are rather general, they can choose EA. For EA applications, it is recommended to choose a safety school that is more compatible with your own conditions and has a higher probability of being admitted.

When students have not prepared their application materials and their application goals are not clear before the Early Decision and Early Action application deadlines, it is recommended that they choose Regular Decision a little later.

Grouping Scheme One
ED1+EA+RD
If a student's standardized test scores have basically met the average line of the ED school and their soft conditions (such as extracurricular activities, essays, etc.) are relatively well-matched with the target school, they must seize the application opportunity of ED1. Whether to choose an EA school depends on personal circumstances, but it is not recommended to apply to more than two EA schools.

Grouping Scheme Two
ED2+EA+RD
If a student's current standardized test scores have not yet met the requirements of the ED target school, but they are confident of achieving an ideal score in the second half of the year and their soft conditions are relatively compatible with the target school, it is recommended that they choose ED2, which has a more lenient application time.

Grouping Scheme Three
ED1+RD
If students are confident about the SAT in October and their soft conditions are highly compatible with their target schools, they might as well try to apply through the ED1 method first. The ideal outcome of this plan is "admission", while the worst outcome is "rejection", and there is also a possibility of being transferred to the RD.

Grouping Scheme Four
EA+RD
If a student does not wish to be bound, does not have a particularly clear school, or if the student's standardized test scores and various soft conditions are all very excellent, EA is also an option for "early application".

Grouping Scheme Five
"RA and RD
There is no specific application deadline for RA. Students only need to prepare all the application materials and submit them to the school. After the school receives the application materials, the admissions office will start to review the students' application materials and notify them of the admission results until the school has filled its enrollment quota.

The deadline for regular Decision (RD) is usually in early January or early February. If a student starts preparing for the application relatively late or their current standardized test scores still fall short of those of their target university, they should not blindly choose to apply early. Opting for a regular RD would be more suitable, allowing students to have more time to prepare for the exams and application documents.

Application deadlines for undergraduate programs in the United States

TOP50 comprehensive universities in the United States

TOP40 liberal arts colleges in the United States


The above information is for reference only. For specific details, please refer to the official website of the institution.

In addition to announcing the early application deadlines, American institutions have also released new standardized test score requirements for undergraduate programs. Currently, there are four categories:

Test-Required: Universities mandate that students submit SAT/ACT scores. If an applicant fails to do so, the application materials will be incomplete.

Test-Blind: Universities do not consider SAT/ACT scores at all in the application process. The student's grades cannot be delivered to the admissions office.

Test-Flexible: Flexible standardization policy. Universities require the submission of standardized test scores, but in addition to SAT/ACT scores, students can also submit scores from AP, IB, etc.

Test-Optional: Universities do not mandate students to submit SAT/ACT scores. However, if students are willing to submit relatively competitive scores, the admissions office will also accept them and incorporate them into the application assessment scope.

Many students may think that the application season has just begun and there is no rush. However, students should be clear that the enrollment quotas of prestigious universities are limited. Delaying may cause you to miss your dream school. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare, plan and be admitted as early as possible.

The above are some of the "2023Fall US Undergraduate application Deadlines". For more questions about US undergraduate applications, you can scan the QR code below to add Xiao E's wechat. Professional advisors from Yisibole will provide one-on-one free consultation!

Yisi Boluo wishes all the students to get offers from their dream schools!

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