With the fall semester almost over and the early action and early decision deadlines passed, high school seniors at Rancho Cucamonga High School begin one of the most stressful and important times of their lives: college application season. With the many decisions and choices that come with growing up, the decision to apply to college early can often create an added layer of anxiety for many teenagers.

While early action and early decision can be helpful, missing these deadlines by no means indicates the end of the world.

Senior Deborah Shifraw “As a senior, I felt that applying early could really set me apart, especially at my top-choice school. I wanted to show how serious I was about wanting to attend, but the pressure was intense. It’s like you’re expected to have your entire future figured out before you even finish high school. Getting that early acceptance is amazing, but it also makes you wonder if you’re making the right choice. It’s definitely a balancing act between excitement and the stress of possibly getting rejected, and that can be a lot to deal with during your senior year,” Shifraw said

What are Early Action and Early Decision

Early action and early decision are college application options that allow students to apply to school ahead of the regular decision deadlines. These deadlines are usually in early November, and students who apply during this time learn the outcome of their application in December, which is three months before the regular decision comes out.

Though both are early applications, early action is a non-restrictive admission option, where the applicant still applies to other colleges and is free to choose without the obligation to enroll. On the other hand, early decision is a binding contract application, where the student, upon acceptance, is committed to attending that school and would have to withdraw applications to other schools.

Early decision can be used in one application, making it a higher-stakes choice. It offers some real advantages for students who are confident about their college of choice and allows admission officers to lock in high prospects.

While there are benefits to early action and early decision, it’s not the end of the world if you miss the deadlines, and it doesn’t mean you’ve lost your shot at attending a great school. In fact, there are real advantages to applying during the regular decision cycle.

Why it’s okay if you missed the early deadlines

Missing both early action and early decision deadlines might feel discouraging, but it is important to keep things in perspective.

1. More time to improve your applications

The fall semester of senior year can be very chaotic, with classes, extracurriculars, or even part-time jobs. So the tendency to rush to meet early deadlines can lead to last-minute applications that do not fully represent the student seeking admission. Deadlines for regular decisions are usually set between January and February – which allows more time for refining essays, coursework, and grades. This added time can make a significant difference in the quality of the applications.

2. Opportunities for better financial aid

For students concerned about affordability, the regular decision cycle offers more financial aid. Because of the binding nature of early decision, students accepted via that option have little ability to compare offers of financial aid from other schools. By going through regular decision, students have the opportunity to receive multiple offers they can compare to make sure financial aid packages make sense.

3. Lower stakes, less pressure

Early deadlines make the college application process very stressful for students who may feel unprepared or unsure about their future. Missing an early deadline often turns out to be a blessing in disguise because students then have fresh minds and less pressure with regular decision.

Regular decision is designed to give time for reflection and many students find that they submit stronger and more well-thought-out applications.

The real takeaway is that in the end, the road to college is very personal. You are not at a disadvantage simply because you’ve missed an early action or early decision deadline. College admissions revolves around finding a place where you can thrive academically, socially, and personally.

Whether early or later, trust that the right school is out there for you. Take it at your own pace, and remember that many students have made their way to college without having submitted an early application. The deadline might have passed, but your opportunities have not.