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Early Action and Early Decision Deadlines

By June 27, 2025June 30th, 2025ACT, Admissions, For Students, SAT

Of the 400+ schools that Compass tracks, around 75% offer some form of Early Action (EA) and Early Decision (ED). Both can have an impact on students planning to test in the fall of 12th grade.

EARLY ACTION VERSUS EARLY DECISION

Early Action is non-binding, meaning that an admitted student can still decide not to attend. Early Decision, on the other hand, is binding. Students applying Early Decision agree to enroll if accepted and offered an adequate financial aid package.

While some schools allow students to apply to multiple Early Action/Decision programs, most will require a student who is accepted Early Decision to withdraw applications from other colleges. Highly selective institutions—for example, Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Notre Dame, and Yale—have restrictive policies that limit a student to one early application.

Further complicating matters is the presence of 1 and 2 as labels for different early application windows. Early 1 is usually in October or November with Early 2 in December or January, but sometimes as late as February. Generally, colleges will notify Early 1 students by the end of December and Early 2 by the end of February. Both allow ample time for decision making before the standard May 1 decision deadline.

WHAT DO EARLY APPLICATIONS MEAN FOR TESTING?

Your counselor can help you determine whether applying Early Action or Early Decision at your top college is right for you. However, if you’re considering applying early, you will want to make sure that you have a complete set of scores that shows you at your best. We recommend most students plan early and have one or two scores ready by the end of junior year. Students who have waited until 12th Grade to take any test should not delay. In many cases, the September ACT and October SAT are the last test dates that offer reliable delivery of scores before the earliest of early deadlines. The July ACT (not available in NY) and August SAT have also become popular dates for tying up testing.

If you get your testing finished early, you’ll be well positioned for early applications.

EARLY ACTION AND DECISION DEADLINES

Please note: this list is not meant to be exhaustive and schools reserve the right to change these deadlines at any time; be sure to check the individual schools for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

College/UniversityEA 1EA 2ED 1ED 2
Adelphi UniversityDec 1
Agnes Scott CollegeNov 15Jan 15Nov 1
Albion CollegeDec 1
Allegheny CollegeDec 1Nov 1
American UniversityNov 1Nov 1Jan 15
Amherst CollegeNov 7
Auburn UniversityOct 15Nov 15
Augustana CollegeNov 1Nov 1
Austin CollegeNov 1Dec 1
Babson CollegeNov 1Nov 1Jan 2
Bard CollegeNov 1Nov 1Jan 1
Barnard CollegeNov 1
Bates CollegeNov 20Jan 15
Baylor UniversityNov 1Nov 1
Beloit CollegeNov 1Dec 1
Bennington CollegeDec 1Nov 15Jan 15
Bentley UniversityNov 15Jan 15
Berea CollegeNov 1Jan 31
Berry CollegeNov 1
Binghamton University, SUNYNov 1
Biola UniversityNov 30Jan 15
Boston CollegeNov 1Jan 1
Boston UniversityNov 1Dec 1
Bowdoin CollegeNov 15Jan 5
Bradley UniversityNov 1
Brandeis UniversityNov 1Nov 1Jan 15
Brown UniversityNov 1
Bryn Mawr CollegeNov 15Jan 1
Bucknell UniversityNov 1Jan 10
Butler UniversityNov 1Nov 1 (Nursing only)
California Institute of Technology ^Nov 1
California Lutheran UniversityNov 15
Carleton CollegeNov 15
Carnegie Mellon UniversityNov 1
Carroll CollegeNov 1
Case Western Reserve UniversityNov 1Nov 1Jan 15
Centre CollegeNov 15Nov 1Jan 15
Chapman UniversityNov 1Nov 1
Christopher Newport UniversityDec 1Nov 15
Claremont McKenna CollegeNov 1Jan 10
Clark UniversityNov 1Nov 1Jan 15
Clarkson UniversityDec 1
Clemson UniversityOct 15
Coe CollegeDec 10Nov 15
Colby CollegeNov 15Jan 1
Colgate UniversityNov 1Jan 15
College of CharlestonNov 1Nov 1Feb 1
College of St. BenedictNov 1Dec 1
College of the Holy CrossNov 15Jan 15
College of William & MaryNov 1Jan 5
Colorado CollegeNov 1Nov 1Jan 15
Colorado State UniversityNov 15
Columbia UniversityNov 1
Connecticut CollegeNov 15Jan 15
Cornell UniversityNov 1
Creighton UniversityNov 1
Dartmouth CollegeNov 1
Davidson CollegeNov 15Jan 5
Denison UniversityNov 15Jan 15
DePaul UniversityNov 15
DePauw UniversityNov 1Dec 15Nov 1Dec 15
Dickinson CollegeNov 15Jan 15
Drake UniversityDec 1
Drew UniversityDec 1Nov 1Jan 15
Drexel UniversityNov 1Nov 1
Duke UniversityNov 4
Duquesne UniversityNov 15
Earlham CollegeNov 1Dec 1
Elmhurst CollegeNov 1
Elon UniversityNov 1Nov 1
Emerson CollegeNov 1Nov 1Jan 3
Emory UniversityNov 1Jan 1
Fairfield UniversityNov 1Nov 15Jan 15
Florida A&M UniversityNov 1
Florida International UniversityNov 1
Florida State UniversityOct 15 (FL residents only)
Fordham UniversityNov 1Nov 1Jan 3
Franklin and Marshall CollegeNov 15Jan 6
Furman UniversityNov 15Nov 1Jan 15
George Mason UniversityNov 1
George Washington UniversityNov 1Jan 5
Georgetown UniversityNov 1
Georgia Institute of TechnologyOct 15 (GA residents only)Nov 3 (Non-GA residents only)
Georgia State UniversityNov 15
Gettysburg CollegeDec 1Nov 15Jan 15
Gonzaga UniversityNov 15
Goucher CollegeNov 15
Grinnell CollegeNov 15Jan 5
Gustavus Adolphus CollegeNov 1
Hamilton CollegeNov 15Jan 5
Hampden-Sydney CollegeOct 15Dec 1Nov 1
Hampton UniversityNov 15
Hanover CollegeNov 1Dec 15
Harvard University ^Nov 1
Harvey Mudd CollegeNov 15Jan 5
Haverford CollegeNov 15Jan 5
Hendrix CollegeNov 15Feb 1
High Point UniversityNov 15Nov 1Feb 1
Hillsdale CollegeNov 1
Hobart and William Smith CollegesNov 15Nov 15Jan 15
Hofstra UniversityNov 15Dec 15
Hollins UniversityNov 15Nov 1
Howard UniversityNov 1Nov 1
Illinois Institute of TechnologyNov 1Nov 15
Illinois Wesleyan UniversityNov 15
Indiana University, ​BloomingtonNov 1
Ithaca CollegeDec 1Nov 1
James Madison UniversityNov 1
Johns Hopkins UniversityNov 1Jan 2
Kalamazoo CollegeNov 1Nov 1
Kenyon CollegeNov 15Jan 15
Knox CollegeNov 1Dec 1
Lafayette CollegeNov 15Jan 15
Lake Forest CollegeNov 1Jan 15Nov 1Jan 15
Lawrence UniversityNov 1Dec 1Nov 1
Lehigh UniversityNov 1Jan 1
Lewis & Clark CollegeNov 1Nov 1
Loyola Marymount UniversityNov 1Nov 1Jan 8
Loyola University MarylandNov 15Nov 15Jan 15
Loyola University New OrleansNov 15
Macalester CollegeNov 1Nov 1Jan 1
Marist CollegeNov 15Nov 15Feb 15
Marquette UniversityNov 15
Massachusetts Institute of TechNov 1
Mercer UniversityNov 1Dec 1
Miami University, ​OxfordNov 1Dec 1Nov 1
Michigan State UniversityNov 1
Middlebury CollegeNov 1Jan 1
Millsaps CollegeNov 15
Montclair State UniversityDec 1
Morehouse CollegeDec 15Nov 1
Mount Holyoke CollegeNov 15Jan 5
Muhlenberg CollegeDec 9Nov 20Feb 1
New College of FloridaNov 1
New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNov 15Dec 15
New School (Some Schools)Nov 12
New York UniversityNov 1Jan 1
North Carolina State Univ, ​RaleighNov 1
Northeastern UniversityNov 1Nov 1Jan 1
Northwestern UniversityNov 1
Oberlin CollegeNov 15Jan 2
Occidental CollegeNov 15Jan 10
Ohio State UniversityNov 1
Ohio UniversityNov 15
Ohio Wesleyan UniversityDec 1Nov 15
Old Dominion UniversityDec 1
Oregon State UniversityNov 1
Pennsylvania State UniversityNov 1
Pepperdine UniversityNov 1
Pitzer CollegeNov 15Jan 5
Point Loma Nazarene UniversityNov 15
Pomona CollegeNov 8Jan 8
Pratt InstituteNov 15
Presbyterian College (SC)Nov 1
Princeton University ^Nov 1
Providence CollegeNov 1Nov 1Jan 15
Purdue University, ​West LafayetteNov 1
Queens University of CharlotteNov 15Jan 15Nov 15
Quinnipiac UniversityNov 15Nov 1
Randolph-Macon CollegeOct 17Nov 15
Reed CollegeNov 1Nov 1Dec 20
Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteDec 1Nov 1Jan 5
Rhode Island School of DesignNov 1
Rhodes CollegeNov 15Nov 1Jan 15
Rice UniversityNov 1Jan 4
Rochester Institute of TechnologyNov 1Nov 1Jan 1
Rollins CollegeNov 15Nov 15Jan 5
Rutgers University, ​New BrunswickNov 1
Rutgers University, ​NewarkNov 1
Saint Louis UniversityDec 1Nov 1Jan 16
Santa Clara UniversityNov 1Nov 1Jan 7
Sarah Lawrence CollegeNov 1Nov 1Jan 15
Scripps CollegeNov 15Jan 5
Seattle UniversityNov 15
Seton Hall UniversityNov 15Dec 15
Sewanee—​University of the SouthDec 1Nov 15Jan 15
Siena CollegeDec 15Jan 15Nov 15
Simmons CollegeNov 1Dec 1
Skidmore CollegeNov 1Jan 8
Smith CollegeNov 15Jan 1
Soka University of AmericaNov 1
Southern Methodist UniversityNov 1Nov 1Jan 15
Southwestern UniversityDec 1Nov 1
Spelman CollegeNov 1Nov 1
St. John Fisher CollegeDec 1
St. John’s College AnnapolisNov 15Nov 1Jan 15
St. John’s University (NY)Dec 1
St. Lawrence UniversityDec 1Nov 1Feb 1
St. Mary’s College (IN)Nov 15
St. Mary’s College of CaliforniaNov 1
St. Mary’s College of MarylandNov 1Nov 1
St. Michael’s CollegeNov 1Dec 1
St. Olaf CollegeNov 1Nov 1Jan 15
Stanford University ^Nov 1
Stetson UniversityNov 15Nov 1
Stevens Institute of TechnologyDec 1Nov 15Jan 15
Stonehill CollegeNov 1Jan 15Dec 1Feb 1
SUNY, ESFNov 15
SUNY, ​GeneseoNov 15
SUNY, Stony BrookOct 15
Susquehanna UniversityNov 1Dec 1Nov 15
Swarthmore CollegeNov 15Jan 4
Syracuse UniversityNov 15Jan 5
Temple UniversityNov 1
Texas A&M Univ, ​College StationOct 15 (Engineering only)
Texas Christian UniversityNov 1Nov 1Feb 1
Texas Lutheran UniversityNov 15
The Catholic University of AmericaNov 1Nov 1Feb 1
The College of New JerseyNov 1Nov 1
The College of WoosterNov 15Nov 1Jan 15
The Cooper UnionNov 1 or Dec 1 (varies by school)
Towson UniversityNov 1
Transylvania UniversityOct 31Dec 1
Trinity College (Hartford)Nov 15Jan 15
Trinity UniversityNov 1Nov 1Feb 1
Tufts UniversityNov 1Jan 1
Tulane UniversityNov 15Nov 1Jan 15
Union College (NY)Nov 1Nov 1Jan 15
Univeristy of IowaNov 1
University at Albany, ​SUNYNov 15
University at Buffalo, ​SUNYNov 1
University of ArkansasNov 1
University of Central FloridaOct 15
University of ChicagoNov 1Nov 1Jan 6
University of CincinnatiNov 1
University of Colorado, ​BoulderNov 15
University of ConnecticutNov 1
University of DallasNov 1Dec 1
University of DaytonNov 1
University of DelawareNov 1
University of DenverNov 1Nov 1Jan 15
University of FloridaNov 1
University of GeorgiaOct 15
University of IL, ​ChicagoNov 1
University of IL, ​Urbana–ChampaignNov 1
University of KentuckyDec 1
University of MaineDec 1
University of Mary WashingtonNov 15Nov 1
University of Maryland, ​College ParkNov 1
University of Massachusetts, ​AmherstNov 5
University of MiamiNov 1Nov 1Jan 5
University of Michigan, ​Ann ArborNov 1
University of Minnesota, ​Twin CitiesNov 1Dec 1
University of N Carolina, ​Chapel HillOct 15
University of N Carolina, ​CharlotteNov 1
University of N Carolina, GreensboroNov 1
University of N Carolina, ​WilmingtonNov 1
University of New HampshireNov 15
University of Notre Dame ^Nov 1
University of OklahomaNov 1
University of OregonNov 1
University of PennsylvaniaNov 1
University of PortlandDec 1
University of Puget SoundNov 1Nov 1
University of RedlandsNov 1Dec 1
University of Rhode IslandDec 1Nov 1
University of RichmondNov 1Nov 1Jan 1
University of RochesterNov 1Jan 5
University of San FranciscoNov 1Nov 1
University of South CarolinaOct 15
University of Southern CaliforniaNov 1Nov 1 (Business school only)
University of St. Thomas (MN)Nov 1
University of TennesseeNov 1
University of the PacificNov 15
University of TulsaNov 1Feb 1Nov 1
University of UtahDec 1
University of VermontNov 1Nov 1Jan 15
University of VirginiaNov 1Nov 1
University of Washington, BothellNov 15
University of Wisconsin, ​MadisonNov 1
Ursinus CollegeNov 1Dec 1Feb 1
US Coast Guard AcademyOct 15
Vanderbilt UniversityNov 1Jan 1
Vassar CollegeNov 15Jan 1
Villanova UniversityNov 1Nov 1Jan 15
Virginia Military InstituteNov 15
Virginia TechNov 15
Wabash CollegeDec 1Nov 15
Wake Forest UniversityNov 15Nov 15Jan 1
Washington and Jefferson CollegeJan 15Dec 15
Washington and Lee UniversityNov 1Jan 1
Washington CollegeDec 1Nov 15
Washington University in St. LouisNov 1Jan 2
Wellesley CollegeNov 1Jan 1
Wesleyan UniversityNov 15Jan 1
Western Michigan UniversityDec 15
Westmont CollegeOct 15Nov 1
Wheaton College (IL)Oct 15Nov 15
Wheaton College (MA)Nov 15Nov 15Jan 15
Whitman CollegeNov 15Jan 1
Whittier CollegeNov 15
Willamette UniversityNov 1Nov 1
Williams CollegeNov 15
Wofford CollegeNov 15Nov 1Jan 15
Worcester Polytechnic InstituteNov 1Jan 15Nov 1Jan 15
Yale University ^Nov 1
Yeshiva UniversityNov 1

^ = Schools with Restrictive or Single Choice Early Action

Ash Kramer

About Ash Kramer

With a career in test prep and higher education that began in the late 90s, Ash has held a variety of educational roles from tutor and writing instructor to administrator. She serves as the Chief Product Officer at Compass, where she is lucky to lead a brilliant team creating the very best digital learning materials.

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