As the school year begins, high school seniors have a lot of important choices to make regarding college. One of these choices is deciding how to apply to college. The most common types of application are–early action, early decision and regular decision. These all have their own perks so each student has to decide which is best for them.

Early action is a popular choice. This allows you to submit your application early and therefore get to know if you were accepted earlier. By doing this, you can relieve the stress of college applications earlier and spend the rest of your senior year enjoying yourself.

You can apply using early action to as many schools as you like to get all of your applications done and sent as soon as possible. You usually get the decision from the school by winter, so you won’t have to continue worrying about college acceptance after that.  Early action is the best choice for students to minimize stress and get your applications done.

Early decision is an option that isn’t as popular as early action, but definitely has its own unique perks. Early decision is a binding contract. By submitting you application under early decision, you are agreeing to attend the school if you are accepted. You can only apply under early decision to one school. Applying this way does slightly improve your chances of getting in because schools know you’re committed to them.

Once accepted, most schools make you rescind other applications you have sent in. Early decision is the best choice only if you’re 100% sure where you want to attend college, but if you’re borderline about attending a school, sticking to early or regular action is your best choice.

While early action and early decision are widespread means for applying to college, not all schools provide these programs. Some schools have one or the other. Some schools have neither. It is important to check the websites of the schools you’re thinking of applying to to see what they do offer.

The final option, offered by all schools is regular decision. It is essentially the same as early action except you submit your application at a later date. This type of application is common as well. It gives students more time to perfect their application. Students may also elect for this type of application if they want to retake the SAT or ACT and attach different scores. By choosing regular decision, you will find out if you got in near the end of your senior year which will add stress at that time but it will be worth it if you get into the school of your dreams.

Senior Kate Ginn is applying to college via early action and regular decision and agrees that early action is the best of the application types.

“I think early action is the best because you’re not binding to any specific school (and) because you have a lot of options and you find out early,” Ginn said..

All the types of applications have their benefits and drawbacks but ultimately early action is the most reliable and most efficient application type.