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Top B-Schools opt for different methods for admission processes and can often be a very confusing and demanding space. The different avenues to get admitted into B-Schools can be perplexing and require hours of hard work and preparation.
Beyond the regular admissions process, also known as the rolling admission process, where your application is evaluated when it arrives and not at a scheduled date earlier, there are two increasingly popular options to consider,
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- Early action round and
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- Early decision round
This article discusses early action and how it can be beneficial for candidates, how to navigate these routes, how these terms are used, the exact different ways to get your application evaluated, and other aspects around early action rounds!
Here is a snapshot of the article:
-Are the acceptance rates higher in early action rounds?
-What are the pros and cons of early action?
-Difference between early action and early decision
-Top MBA Programs with Early Action Round and Early Decision rounds
What is Early Action?
An early Action is a non-binding option for every applicant to get an early chance notification of admissions. It's a great idea as opposed to the traditional path followed by top B-School students. Applying early, you receive a decision well in advance of the institution's regular response date, and so you can easily understand your chances with some of these schools that are at the top of their target list.
Who is this for?
Now that's not a tricky question at all! Candidates who have done enough investigation & proper research for schools that they believe might be a good fit for them are the ones who should consider applying to earlier rounds.
You must not confuse the early action plan in terms of the admission process is similar to that of the regular admission decision. Candidates have to submit all of the materials that they have to submit for normal application rounds. It's just literally pushing those deadlines up a few months in advance. Therefore, candidates who decide on early action must start their prep early!
"You need to do your homework to understand where you currently fit accordingly with that of the school's academic profile." Take a good look at the class profiles previously admitted to the B-School, also include information about GPA and test scores of admitted classes.
Are the acceptance rates higher in early action rounds?
Many candidates believe that applying for an early-round means a greater chance of admissions as they compete with fewer applicants than normal rounds.
Candidates applying to early rounds indeed have a higher acceptance rate which can be justified by the 2019 State of College Admission Report released by NACAC. According to the report, B-Schools have reported a higher acceptance rate for early action applicants than those who took the traditional admission route.
However, there is a slight catch in it! Often enough, academically strong candidates are the ones who apply for early rounds, may it be early action or early decision, which explains why the admit rates tend to be higher than the traditional rounds. Furthermore, colleges vary in the proportion of the class admitted early and the percentage of early applicants they admit.
What are the pros and cons of early action?
Now that you already know some of the benefits of applying early let us discuss the pros and cons of applying in early action in-depth.
First of all, let us discuss some Pros of applying to the early action round. For a candidate who already has a definite first-choice college in mind, applying early can have many benefits like-
-One of the biggest pros of early action is that some schools offer interview invite like Darden, Fuqua, etc., for sure.
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-Reduces the stress factor by reducing the time spent waiting for a decision.
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-If you have a definite choice in mind, applying early would help save the time and all expenses related to submitting multiple admission applications.
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-Gain a substantial amount of time to look for housing and prepare otherwise for college once accepted.
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-Also, conversely, a candidate has enough time to assess options and apply elsewhere if not accepted.
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-Moreover, after paying the deposit, you get access to pre-mba stuff, like courses, career resources, etc. Given that you have a lot of time before classes commence, these resources give you an upper hand and help you prepare for the curriculum.
Now coming to a few drawbacks that students generally face applying to early rounds
- The pressure to make a decision early: Committing to just one college puts some pressure on students to make serious career decisions even before they've properly explored all their options.
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- Reduction of financial aid opportunities: Students applying under Early rounds (especially early decision rounds) will not be able to compare offers of financial aid from other B-Schools, so for students who absolutely require financial aid, applying early may be a risky option. Moreover, you can't negotiate your scholarship in Early Action; whatever you got, that's final!
There you go! Aspiring candidates can use these Pros and Cons for applying to Early rounds and gauge their options.
What is a binding offer?
As mentioned earlier, the early action round is a non-binding commitment to enroll; however, candidates should be aware that some colleges use a restrictive early action process; for example, B-School like Darden has opted for different methods to restrict the early action process.
Darden offers two options, namely.
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- Early Action' Binding Option'
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- Early Action' Non-binding Option'
Only those applicants who have actively selected the Early Action 'Binding Option' in their enrollment application to Darden would be asked to pay a non-refundable deposit and withdraw all other admission applications from different B-Schools.
Whereas those who have selected the "Early Action Non-binding Option" don't need to deposit any money, however, they indicate to the adCom that they are choosing an unrestricted Admission plan, which goes without saying that they are still looking for other options while at the same time expressing their interest in Darden.
However, you still have to pay a non-refundable deposit with some B-School. You pay $4k for non-binding and $6k for binding.
Early decision round
As mentioned, an early action round may or may not be a binding affair; in contrast, an Early Decision is always a binding commitment to enroll in the B-School if admitted. Applying to an early decision means that you can apply to only one school under this admission plan.
An early decision specifically benefits top-performing candidates who are sure about their first choice of B-School. Moreover, since it's a binding agreement, the institution will require you, your family, and a school counselor to sign the necessary documents.
With early decisions, enrolled students need to send in their non-refundable deposits well before. Additionally, you need to withdraw any admission applications to any other B-Schools.
Difference between early action and early decision
Early decision plans are binding - a student who is accepted as an ED applicant must attend the college. While early action plans are non-binding - students receive an early response to their application but don't have to commit to the college until the normal reply date.
Top MBA Programs with Early Action Round and Early Decision rounds
| Sl.No | Business School | Early Action | Early Decision | Intake Month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Columbia Business School | Early Decision deadline | August 2022 intake | |
| 1. | Fuqua School of Business | Early action deadline | September 2022 intake | |
| 3. | Darden School of Business | Early action deadline | September 2022 intake | |
| 4. | Rotman School of Management | Wharton School | Early Action deadline | September 2022 intake |
| 5. | IESE Business School | Early Decision deadline | September 2022 intake | |
| 6. | Mendoza College of Business | Early Decision deadline | September 2022 intake | |
| 7. | Fisher College of Business | Early Decision deadline | September 2022 intake | |
| 8. | Broad College of Business | Early Decision deadline | September 2022 intake |
Great, now that you have understood all about early action & early decision round, let us look at top MBA programs which provide the same.
There you go! I hope the above paragraphs will help you understand every aspect of an Early action round.
“Research is the most important component of your MBA application.” Check all the relevant details of each MBA application carefully; if at any point you feel that you are not comfortable blocking all the other applications if you get accepted, then you must not apply for any Early Action or Decision options demanding binding commitment.
However, it can often help to discuss with a trusted advisor before applying in application rounds to weigh the different pros and cons of the timing of filing your application!
In any case, if you need more in-depth information about any particular aspect of the application process, interviews, and course structure, feel free to hop on a 45-minute extensive 1:1 call with our team of experts.
We at MBAandBeyond follow a stepwise procedure to ensure maximum efficiency, quality, and interaction to make sure we make every minute worth it! Furthermore, we at MBA and beyond are determined to guide you through your entire application process, ensuring the best offers from top Business schools.
Always remember that “at certain moments in our life, we need advice and help from other people to thrive in life.” Happy learning! ☺
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does Early Action for MBA mean?
An early Action is a non-binding option for every applicant to get an early chance notification of admissions. Applying early helps you receive an early decision well in advance of the institution's regular response date. So you can easily understand your chances with some of these schools at the top of your target list.
2. Which MBA has Early Action?
Early action application is quite popular and adopted by colleges such as Columbia, Fuqua School of Business, Darden, Rotman, IESE Business School, etc.
3. Does applying early to MBA help?
Most definitely! One of the biggest pros of early action is that many schools offer direct interview invites like Darden, Fuqua, etc. moreover, it would also reduce the stress factor by reducing the time spent waiting for a decision and would definitely save your time and expenses if you have a definite choice in mind for applying.
4. Is it worth it to apply early decision?
An Early Decision is always a binding commitment which means applying that you can apply to only one school under this admission plan. Additionally, candidates also need to withdraw admission applications to any other B-Schools.
Hence, an early decision specifically benefits top-performing candidates who are sure about their first choice of B-School.
5. Is early decision or early action better?
As mentioned in the above paragraphs, an early action round may or may not be a binding affair; in contrast, an Early Decision is always a binding commitment to enroll in the B-School if admitted. Moreover, with early decisions, enrolled students need to send in their non-refundable deposits well before. So, if you are very confident about your profile and a top-performing candidate with clarity about your target B-School only, then it would be beneficial for you to go for an early decision. Otherwise, it's always advisable to go for early action round!
