Early Action: Frequently Asked Questions
Important Note:
Though the Single Choice Early Action deadline is November 1, we strongly encourage you to submit all of your materials to us sooner. We expect a rise in early applications this year, so admissions officers will begin reading applications after mid-October. The earlier your application becomes complete—meaning you have submitted both the Common Application and Yale Supplement, and we have received the necessary school documents and your fee or fee waiver request—the sooner we can begin to evaluate it.
Q. What type of early admissions program does Yale have?
A. If you would like an admissions decision by mid-December, you may apply under Yale's Single Choice Early Action Program. “Early Action” means that our program is non-binding. You may still make applications to any other schools you wish for a regular spring decision, and you have until May 1 to tell us whether you are accepting an offer of admission. “Single Choice” means that you must sign an agreement on your application stating that Yale is the only early admissions program to which you are applying. (See the last FAQ for clarification of how Yale defines an early program.)
An early admissions program provides a way for students who feel that Yale is their first choice, and who are comfortable presenting an application in November rather than January, to obtain a reply from our Admissions Office early in the year. We made our program non-binding so that our admitted students would still be free to change their minds or to review the financial aid they may be offered from other schools later in the year.
Q. I’ve heard early admissions programs were discontinued. I’m confused.
A. Though Harvard and Princeton decided to discontinue their Early Action or Early Decision options, we are committed to continuing our early admissions program. We feel Single Choice Early Action is an appropriate option for those who have carefully considered their alternatives and feel strongly that Yale is the best fit for them. It also provides us with the opportunity to make an offer of admission early in the year to strong candidates whom we are certain that we would admit whether they apply in the fall or the spring. At the same time, the nonbinding aspect of our Early Action plan gives our applicants ample opportunity to compare other offers in the spring and make a careful, unhurried decision.
Q. What’s the deadline?
A. Yale’s Early Action deadline is November 1. We strongly encourage you to apply online, both for your convenience and our processing speed and accuracy. We expect early applications to rise this year and we encourage you to get materials to us as quickly as possible this fall.
Q. When do I receive an admissions decision? What are the possible decisions?
A. In mid-December you will receive one of three responses:
1. You are admitted to Yale
You have a place in the next freshman class at Yale. You may accept or decline the offer at any time before May 1. You are free to apply to Regular Decision programs at other institutions if you wish.
2. A final decision on your application is deferred
This means that we consider you a competitive candidate, but the Admissions Committee wishes to see more of your senior year work and also to evaluate your credentials in the context of our Regular Decision pool of applicants. You will automatically be considered in our Regular Decision process unless you act to withdraw your application, and you will receive a decision from us by April 1.3. Your application is denied
If you are denied admission under Early Action, you may not reapply for admission under the Regular Admission plan. Though a final judgment in our early process comes as a disappointment to applicants, we take this step so that denied applicants can focus their full energies on applications to other excellent colleges and universities.
Q. If I am accepted to Yale early, when will I receive a financial aid package?
A. If you submitted all required financial aid materials to Yale with your Early Action application, you will receive an estimated financial aid package at the same time as you receive your offer of admission. This estimate will be updated and your final aid package confirmed in early April.
Q. Is there an advantage to applying Single-Choice Early Action to Yale?
A. Historically, the rate of admission among early applicants has been higher than the overall admission rate. On the other hand, this higher rate reflects the fact that many of our strongest candidates, from a full range of backgrounds and interests, apply early. We would therefore offer this advice: you should apply for Early Action if you have a strong interest in Yale and if you are comfortable early in your senior year with the credentials you will be presenting to the Admissions Committee. The important thing to note is that an Early Action applicant must meet the same criteria for admission as an applicant in the regular pool. A thoughtful college search and a careful assessment of your readiness to present a strong application as early as November 1st are key. Candidates who need more time, for whatever reason, will be better served by our Regular Decision process.
Q. I am applying to Yale under the Single Choice Early Action program. Can you explain the rules about applying to other colleges under their various early notification programs?
A. If you are an applicant to Yale under the Single Choice Early Action program, you may not apply to any early admissions program that notifies candidates in December, whether or not that program is binding. However, you may apply to another college's early notification program under certain conditions. First, you may apply to a public university's "rolling" admission program if the program is non-binding (meaning that you have until May 1 to respond). Second, you may apply to a college with an early deadline for scholarship awards, but only if the notification of admission occurs after January 1. Finally, you may apply to another college's "Round 2 Early Decision" program, but only if notification is after January 1. If you are admitted through another college's "Round 2 Early Decision" program, you must withdraw your application from Yale.
