Restrictive Early Action. Early Decision. Early Action. Rolling Admission. Regular Decision. While you may feel as though you finally have a handle on all of the different options for application submission timing. There’s one more option out there that adds to the confusion: Restrictive Early Action. What is Restrictive Early Action? What schools provide this option?
Early Decision (ED):
The Early Decision application deadline is usually earlier (around November 1 for most schools) than other options and students are given a decision about admission a few weeks after they send in their application. So, students who apply ED cannot apply elsewhere ED but may apply under other non-binding application plans. Once students are accepted ED, they are obligated to attend the school and must withdraw any applications that they have submitted elsewhere.
Early Action (EA):
Application deadline is usually earlier (typically November 1, November 15 or December 1) than other options and students are given a decision about admission a few weeks after they send in their application. So, students applying EA may apply elsewhere to as many schools as they like under any application plan. And, if they are accepted EA, they are not obligated to attend the school.
Rolling Admission:
For Rolling Admission, students can submit their application any time within the application period and will receive an admissions decision within a few weeks of whenever they submit their application. In addition, there is no obligation to attend the school. And students may apply wherever else under any application plan.
Regular Decision (RD):
For Regular Decision, the application deadline is firm and usually the final one. Applicants can submit under any application plan to other colleges and have no obligation to attend the school if they are accepted. Students will typically receive their admission decision several weeks to months after the application deadline.
Want to learn more about all the various admissions deadlines and programs? See this post: Early Decision or Regular Decision: Which Is Better?
What is Restrictive Early Action (REA)?
Now, onto Restrictive Early Action (REA)! REA is essentially a hybrid of Early Decision and Early Action. REA requires students to submit their applications early and provides them with an admissions decision early as well. While the student isn’t obligated to go to the school if he or she is accepted, the student is restricted from applying to other schools early. In all instances, the student is prohibited from applying Early Decision. But in some cases, often referred to as Single Choice Early Action (SCEA), the university may also prohibit the student from applying to other schools Early Action unless the alternate school is a public institution.
Each school that offers REA/SCEA has nuances to what it requires. So it is always best to check directly on the university’s website to see what the particular restrictions are. Also, if a student doesn’t follow the rules of a given school’s REA policy and the college finds out, any offer of admission will be rescinded.
The number of universities that offer Restrictive Early Action and Single Choice Early Action is limited and tends to be the very selective institutions. The following is the list of six universities (CalTech also offers REA) that offer the REA/SCEA option in the 2025-2026 application year and the restrictions of each school for applying to other institutions:
Restrictive Early Action Universities: Ability to Apply to Other Colleges
| REA School | ED | ED2 * | REA | EA | EA Public | Rolling Public | RD |
| Notre Dame | NO | YES | NO | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Georgetown University | NO | YES | NO | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Harvard University | NO | YES | NO | NO | YES | YES | YES |
| Princeton University | NO | YES | NO | NO | YES | YES | YES |
| Stanford University | NO | YES | NO | NO | YES | YES | YES |
| Yale University | NO | YES | NO | NO | YES | YES | YES |
* If Deferred or Denied in the REA/SCEA round in December you may apply ED2 if the application deadline is after the December decision date.
Confused about what is restricted early action and need some assistance?
The big take-away from REA is that if your dream school is an elite university with a Restrictive Early Action option, be sure to check the rules of the individual university.
If you’re just starting on the college admissions journey, Great College Advice offers the best of both worlds: personalized, expert college admissions counseling tailored to your needs, and a lively, supportive community through College Admissions Experts, one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families with over 100,000 members.
Contact the team at Great College Advice to explore our full range of services and to learn how we support students through every step of the college admissions process to help your student get into their dream school. Then join our College Admissions Experts Facebook Group to connect, learn, and grow.
Inside College Admissions Experts members share:
Practical application tips and essay strategies
Financial aid guidance and scholarship updates
Honest peer experiences—from test prep to campus visits
More than just factual advice, the group fosters a sense of camaraderie. Posts from our team and members alike encourage, inform, and demystify the admissions journey.
Andrea Aronson
College Admissions Consultant
Westfield, NJ
