It’s difficult enough deciding where to apply to college, but on top of that, prospective students also have to consider when to apply as many schools employ a variety of admissions rounds. Notre Dame is no different – for the incoming Class of 2023, the deadline for Restrictive Early Action applications is November 1st and the deadline for Regular Decision is January 1st. It can be tough to decide which route to go, but ultimately, it is most important to do what is best for you! Here are 5 reasons why I decided applying Early Action was right for me:
1) ND’s Restrictive Early Action is nonbinding – Applying to Notre Dame early would still allow me the freedom to explore other schools, which was especially important to me in a financial sense. I could still evaluate scholarship/financial aid packages from other universities without making an irrevocable commitment.
2) Mendoza’s preapproval process – Since I intended on majoring in Marketing from the outset, applying early would give me more time to consider alternative majors at ND or other business schools as a contingency plan if I wasn’t preapproved for Mendoza.
3) Opportunity for deferral – If I didn’t get in during the early action round, there was a still a chance my application could be deferred and considered with regular decision applicants…2 chances!
4) I was ready – Some high school seniors may consider holding off on early action if they are hoping for a GPA boost in the fall, waiting on test scores, or trying to beef up a resume. In my case, my application was ready to go, so it was worth applying early to give myself more time to make a decision or reassess my options later on.
5) All roads lead to Notre Dame – Ultimately, Notre Dame was where I wanted to be, and I wanted to know sooner rather than later!