New Early Action Admissions Options Popping Up Across America – Admissions Blog

Published on July 6, 2024 from Craig Masters

It started in Texas, gained traction in Florida, and has now spread to the Pacific Northwest. “It” is the introduction of new Early Action admissions plans for high school seniors applying to college.

When a high school student applies to a college or university “Early Action,” it means that he or she submits his or her application by a certain early deadline (usually in October, November, or December) and, in return, receives an admissions decision sooner than if the college or university announces its admissions decisions to students applying “Regular Decision” (which usually involves a January or February application deadline). When a student is admitted “Early Action,” he or she is not required to enroll at that college and has until May 1 of his or her senior year of high school to decide where to enroll.

In March, the University of Texas at Austin announced the launch of a new Early Action program for freshman applicants. This optional early deadline requires application submission by October 15, with freshman applicants notified of a guaranteed decision by January 15. The regular deadline for freshman applications remains December 1, with a guaranteed decision notified by February 15.

Later in March, the University of Florida announced that it would also offer first-year applicants the opportunity to apply early for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. By implementing the Early Action plan, prospective first-year students who submit their applications by November 1, 2024, and provide all required documentation, will be notified of their admission status at UF on January 24, 2025.

“The University of Florida attracts elite students, and this initiative is an important opportunity for our university and our students,” UF President Ben Sasse said at the time of the announcement. “It will not only help UF attract the best minds, but also identify and reward students who are brave and determined enough to challenge themselves here in our demanding academic environment.”

“Early Action provides selected students with greater certainty by informing them of admissions decisions sooner,” said Mary Parker, UF’s vice president for enrollment management. “We know how stressful it can be to plan for college. This plan will help reduce stress for prospective Gators and their families and give them more time to prepare for their time at UF – such as looking into housing and financial aid options.”

The University of Central Florida, not far behind its neighbor to the north, announced in late June that it would also offer an Early Action admissions plan for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. Under UCF’s new plan, first-year applicants who wish to apply early for the summer 2025 or fall 2025 semester must submit their application by October 15, 2024, and all required application materials must be received by November 1, 2024. First-year applicants who meet these deadlines will receive a final admissions decision or a deferral for further information on November 15, 2024.

“The transition to this early and modified rolling admissions process reflects our commitment to providing future Knights with a clear and timely admissions process while maintaining flexibility for those students who prefer a rolling process,” said Alicia Keaton, interim associate vice president for enrollment planning and management at UCF. “We understand that the college application process can be stressful, and this change allows families to maintain a timeline that works best for them and helps them better plan for their future.”

Florida State University already offers an Early Action admission option to first-year applicants as long as they are Florida residents. UF and UCF’s new Early Action plans are open to all first-year applicants, regardless of their state of residence.

But public universities aren’t the only ones jumping on the Early Action bandwagon. Gonzaga University, a private Jesuit university in Spokane, Washington, also announced in June that it would offer Early Action for the first time in the 2024-2025 admissions cycle.

Gonzaga’s early admission deadline is set for November 15, 2024, and early admission decisions are expected to be announced in late December 2024. Gonzaga still has a February 1 regular admission deadline to allow some applicants to bring more senior year grades to the admissions exam. Students who apply by the regular admission deadline can expect decisions in early March 2025. In addition, all applications to Gonzaga’s nursing program must be submitted by the November 15 early admission deadline. Applications received after this date will be considered for the nursing student waitlist.

“Gonzaga University is committed to supporting our future students by providing processes that meet their needs,” said Steve Keller, senior director of undergraduate admission. “These application options benefit students who want to choose a college early, as well as students who are still waiting to provide information that could enhance their admissions profile,” Keller said. “We’ve found that they value this flexibility, and we’re excited to meet the needs and expectations of today’s applicants.”

August 1 is increasingly being viewed as the formal start of the 2024-2025 admissions cycle for freshman applicants, as this is the day each year that the Common App, the application used by over 1,000 colleges and universities, opens for students applying for first-year admission the following August or September.