Let’s face it, as a high school senior, there’s no escaping the buzz about college — it’s all around us. With less than two weeks until the early decision deadline, it feels like every hallway conversation or late-night group chat revolves around applications. But beneath the stress, there’s a whole language to this process — filled with terms like early decision, early action and restrictive early action — that seems to resonate only with us overwhelmed seniors. If you’re feeling lost, here’s a walk-through of the key terms and what they actually mean.
To begin, there are six main ways to apply to college. The first — and arguably the most stressful — is early decision. This route means choosing one school to apply to early, and it’s a binding commitment. If accepted, you’re locked in and must attend that college regardless of any other offers that come your way. In fact, being admitted under early decision requires you to withdraw all other applications. The typical ED deadline is Nov. 1 with decisions released by mid-December. Colleges like Duke University, Brown University and Northwestern University offer this option, making it a fit for students who have a clear top choice.
Next, there’s restrictive early action, which shares similarities with early decision but has one important difference — it’s not binding. With REA, you can only apply to one school this way — usually a selective private university like Stanford, Yale or Harvard — but you’re not obligated to attend if accepted. The catch? You can’t apply early action or early decision to other private schools, however, you can apply early action to public institutions. For those looking for early options without the commitment, this path offers some flexibility.
That brings us to the more open-ended option — early action. With early action, you can apply to as many schools as you’d like as long as they don’t have restrictive policies. It’s appealing because it allows you to submit applications early — typically by Nov. 1 — and receive decisions by mid-December. Schools like Northeastern University, University of Chicago and Massachusetts Institute of Technology participate in early action, making it a popular choice for students eager to get a jump on the admissions process.
Then there’s the California-specific system, which stands apart. Applications for the University of California and California State University systems are due on Nov. 30. These public universities prioritize California students in the admissions process partly because of state funding. The UC system includes well-known campuses like UC Berkeley, UCLA and UC San Diego, while CSU schools include San Francisco State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and San Diego State University.
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But what if the early rounds don’t go as planned? There’s always early decision II, which offers a second chance to apply with a binding commitment. The deadline usually falls in early January, coinciding with regular decision deadlines. Schools like Vanderbilt University, Emory University and New York University offer ED II, giving students another opportunity to secure a spot through a binding agreement. Of course, regular decision is still available for all schools, offering a final opportunity to submit applications before decisions are released in the spring.
Despite all these options, many students end up applying to more schools than they initially anticipated — juggling dozens of deadlines while managing senior year. The workload can feel overwhelming — almost like living a double life — squeezing in essays, letters of recommendation and campus visits alongside homework and extracurriculars. The pressure is real and so is the uncertainty.
So, the next time you see a senior stressing over deadlines, consider offering a word of encouragement. Whether it’s a sibling, a friend or just someone you know, a little support can go a long way. After all, whatever happens, it’s not the end of the world — just the start of a new chapter.
Jeannine Chang is a senior at Burlingame High School. Student News appears in the weekend edition. You can email Student News at news@smdailyjournal.com.
I'll give you some words of wisdom. Undergrad means absolutely nothing anymore. If you absolutely have to go to college - pick a campus that will nurture your growth spiritually as a connected human being - and evolve into the best version of yourself possible without the pressure of constantly seeking higher scholastic achievements - and not for the perceived prestige of the institution. If you want to study anything I would recommend to study Linguistics - then you can understand how language manipulates us all into a cognitive dissonance so we end up doing things we really don't want to and then justifying it externally. All the young adults I know who bucked college for a trade are winning right now - not the other way around. They are in demand and have real agency over their lives because they possess a tangible skill that can be applied anywhere. Ask my buddies who are doctors and lawyers - they don't want their kids getting wrapped up in "higher education" anymore. The sooner you understand that college is a business and you are merely the consumer - the better of you will be. There is no Golden Calf when you get that little piece of paper. I went to UCSB and double majored in English/Sociology graduated with honors was a Drugs and Alcohol Counselor - all that, because I thought as long as I got into a good law school my path for the future was set. However- I was smart enough to open my own business instead of going to law school like my 2 best friends. They live extremely "comfortable" lives - but they have both since pivoted to other sectors because law was not the end game - despite what their parents and college advisors told them. I just creeped into my late 30s - and I have the freedom to do pretty much whatever I want to do - I sign my own checks and I decide what I need to do tomorrow (well my customers do lol) - and because of that - I always have room in my heart to want to help other people on the daily. IMO that is the meaning of life. I tell all young people - never do anything for money - think with your heart - struggle is healthy - love is self sacrifice - patience is probably the most important quality next to humility - invest in family over yourself (unless they are toxic) - and most importantly do not take anybody elses word for it - go experience it yourself.
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(1) comment
I'll give you some words of wisdom. Undergrad means absolutely nothing anymore. If you absolutely have to go to college - pick a campus that will nurture your growth spiritually as a connected human being - and evolve into the best version of yourself possible without the pressure of constantly seeking higher scholastic achievements - and not for the perceived prestige of the institution. If you want to study anything I would recommend to study Linguistics - then you can understand how language manipulates us all into a cognitive dissonance so we end up doing things we really don't want to and then justifying it externally. All the young adults I know who bucked college for a trade are winning right now - not the other way around. They are in demand and have real agency over their lives because they possess a tangible skill that can be applied anywhere. Ask my buddies who are doctors and lawyers - they don't want their kids getting wrapped up in "higher education" anymore. The sooner you understand that college is a business and you are merely the consumer - the better of you will be. There is no Golden Calf when you get that little piece of paper. I went to UCSB and double majored in English/Sociology graduated with honors was a Drugs and Alcohol Counselor - all that, because I thought as long as I got into a good law school my path for the future was set. However- I was smart enough to open my own business instead of going to law school like my 2 best friends. They live extremely "comfortable" lives - but they have both since pivoted to other sectors because law was not the end game - despite what their parents and college advisors told them. I just creeped into my late 30s - and I have the freedom to do pretty much whatever I want to do - I sign my own checks and I decide what I need to do tomorrow (well my customers do lol) - and because of that - I always have room in my heart to want to help other people on the daily. IMO that is the meaning of life. I tell all young people - never do anything for money - think with your heart - struggle is healthy - love is self sacrifice - patience is probably the most important quality next to humility - invest in family over yourself (unless they are toxic) - and most importantly do not take anybody elses word for it - go experience it yourself.
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