Don’t Wait for ED or EA Results to Start Your Regular Decision Applications

By Barbara Connolly, JD, CEP

Founder, College Choice Counseling

You’ve submitted your Early Decision (ED) or Early Action (EA) applications. After weeks of writing essays, checking requirements, and making final revisions, taking a break is understandable, and well deserved.

But waiting until your early admission results arrive to begin your Regular Decision applications can turn December into a stressful race against January deadlines.

You can hope for good news while preparing for other possibilities. Getting started now gives you time to make thoughtful college choices and submit applications that reflect your best work.

The December Time Crunch

It’s tempting to think, “If I get into my first-choice school, I won’t need those other applications.”

That may be true for a student admitted through a binding Early Decision plan. But if the decision is a deferral or denial, that student will still need other options. And an Early Action acceptance may leave plenty of decisions ahead, including comparing colleges and financial aid offers.

Depending on when early results arrive and when your remaining applications are due, you could have only a few weeks to finish. Those weeks may also include exams, major school assignments, family travel, and holiday commitments.

Starting now gives you room to research, write, revise, and ask for help without making every task urgent.

First, Review Your Remaining College List

Before drafting more essays, take a fresh look at the colleges you’re considering.

Would you be happy to attend each one? Does your list include schools with a realistic range of admission possibilities? Have you and your family discussed affordability?

An early application to a highly selective college does not reduce the need for a balanced list. Make sure your remaining options include some colleges where admission is likely and the anticipated cost is manageable.

This is also a good time to remove schools you no longer want to attend. A shorter, thoughtful list can be more useful than a longer list that spreads your attention too thin.

Prioritize by Deadline, Interest, and Workload

You don’t need to work on every application at once. Create a simple tracker showing:

• Application and any separate scholarship deadlines.

• Required supplemental essays.

• Additional requirements, such as portfolios.

• Your progress and a personal completion date.

Then decide what to tackle first.

Start with the earliest deadlines. Check each college’s requirements directly, including any earlier deadlines for scholarships or special programs.

Give substantial attention to your strongest choices. Colleges you would seriously consider attending deserve time for careful research and thoughtful responses.

Begin demanding applications early. A school requiring several essays or a portfolio may need more preparation than one with a shorter application.

Your goal is a workable schedule, with personal deadlines that leave time for review.

Use Earlier Essays as a Starting Point

Your early applications may contain material you can adapt for other colleges. An essay about an important activity, community, or academic interest may be relevant to more than one prompt.

But reusing an essay requires more than changing a college’s name.

Read the new prompt carefully. Does the essay answer the question? Does it fit the word limit? Are the details relevant to that particular college?

“Why this college?” essays especially benefit from fresh research. Identify the academic opportunities, programs, and campus experiences that connect with your interests, and explain why those connections matter to you.

One caution: when adapting an essay from one college to another, be especially careful to remove all references to the original college in the new essay.

Aim to Have Most of the Work Done Before Results Arrive

Set a manageable weekly goal: research two colleges, draft one supplement, or finish one application.

Ideally, by the time your early decisions arrive, your remaining applications will be substantially complete. You can then make final choices with a clear head.

Preparing an application does not necessarily mean submitting and paying for it immediately. Where deadlines allow, you can have it ready while waiting for an early result.

That preparation gives you flexibility. If you receive good news, you can adjust your plans accordingly. If you need to move forward with other applications, much of the work will already be done.

Consider Whether Early Decision II (ED II) Belongs in Your Plan

As you review your remaining colleges, consider whether one might be a strong choice for Early Decision II.

Some colleges offer this second round of binding Early Decision, often with a January deadline. ED II may be an option if your first Early Decision application results in a denial or deferral, or if you did not apply Early Decision in the fall.

But ED II deserves careful thought. Like ED I, it involves a commitment to attend if admitted, subject to the college’s agreement and financial aid provisions. You should feel confident about both the college and its anticipated cost before applying.

Don’t wait until a disappointing December decision to begin that discussion. Research potential ED II colleges now, review affordability with your family, and prepare the necessary essays. You can keep that option open without deciding immediately to use it.

Continue preparing your Regular Decision applications as well. An ED II application does not guarantee admission, and many Regular Decision deadlines will arrive before you receive your ED II result.

Should You Consider Another Attempt at the SAT or ACT?

If your SAT or ACT scores do not yet reflect your academic ability, there may still be time for another attempt before Regular Decision deadlines. December test dates can be useful for some January applications, but students should verify each college's final accepted test date and score-reporting requirements.

Before registering, consider whether another test is likely to improve your application enough to justify the preparation time. Some colleges accept scores received after the application deadline, while others have stricter requirements.

Use your previous score report to identify areas for improvement. Focus your preparation on the sections or question types that cost you the most points, and take a full-length practice test under realistic conditions before deciding whether to retest.

Retaking the exam is not automatically the right choice. If your scores are already competitive, another attempt could take time away from essays, applications, or coursework. Consider your overall application, your testing goals, and the likely benefit before making a decision.

Keep Moving Forward

Waiting for an admission decision can make it difficult to focus on anything else. Working on other applications gives you something productive to do and helps you discover additional colleges you could be excited to attend.

You don’t have to predict what your early results will be. You simply need to be ready for the next step.

At College Choice Counseling®, we help students build balanced college lists, manage deadlines, and develop thoughtful college applications. Our experienced counselors and tutors also provide college essay assistance, SAT and ACT preparation, and academic subject tutoring. Whether you're preparing Regular Decision applications or considering ED II, we're here to help you take the next step with confidence.

Barbara Connolly is the Founder of College Choice Counseling®, a Certified Educational Planner (CEP), and Professional Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). She is a former University of Michigan Ross School of Business admissions reader with over 20 years of experience guiding students and families through highly competitive college admissions.