Early Action Program

The Early Action program is designed to enable superior students to learn of their admission early in their senior year. The Committee on Admissions will primarily focus on a student’s academic performance and personal achievements through the end of the junior year in high school.

Georgetown’s Early Action program is grounded in the belief that students should be free to choose among colleges until the May 1, Candidate’s Reply Date. Accordingly, admitted Early Action students will have the same reply date as Regular Decision candidates.

In keeping with this principle, students applying under the Early Action program may not apply to any binding Early Decision programs since they then would not be free to choose Georgetown if admitted. Students are, however, allowed to apply to other Early Action or other Regular Decision programs while simultaneously applying to Georgetown’s Early Action program.

Candidates not admitted under the Early Action program are deferred to the spring review. There is no statistical advantage in applying Early Action, as both our Early Action and Regular Decision pools will have roughly the same acceptance rate. Typically, about 15 percent of the candidates deferred from Early Action are successful during the spring review.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the different types of Early programs?

Most Admissions Offices offer students the option to apply Early, wherein the student may submit an application in November and receive an answer in December, several months ahead of the Regular Decision notification. There are several types of Early programs:

  • Early Action (Georgetown’s program) allows applicants to make multiple Early Action applications, so long as they are not applying to a binding Early Decision Program. Applicants admitted in December under Early Action have until May 1 to decide whether or not to attend.
  • Early Decision requires that applicants commit to attend if admitted in December. Due to the binding nature of Early Decision, the candidate must therefore withdraw applications made to any other schools.
  • Early Decision II programs allow students to apply by early or mid January, providing a decision around early or mid February. This is also a binding program.
  • Single-Choice Early Action restricts applicants from applying to any other school’s Early programs; however, these applicants may apply to other schools under the Regular Decision program. Applicants admitted in December under Single-Choice Early Action have until May 1 to decide whether to attend.
What is Georgetown’s Early program?

The Early Action application deadline is November 1. Students admitted under the Early Action program will have until May 1 to accept or decline the offer of admission.

If I apply to Georgetown under Early Action can I still apply to other schools under Early Action program?

Georgetown gives students the option to apply both under our Early Action program and under other schools’ Early Action programs. Please be sure to research the guidelines of all schools to which you are applying; not all Early Action programs will allow multiple Early Action applications.

Is there a competitive advantage in applying to Georgetown under the Early Action program?

No. The acceptance rates at Early Action and Regular Decision will be roughly similar. Georgetown generally uses the overall acceptance rate from the year before as the acceptance rate at Early Action.

Can I be denied under the Early Action program?

No. Georgetown does not deny students under our Early Action program. If a student is not admitted under EA, his or her application is automatically given a full second review during Regular Decision.

When is the latest I can take the SAT’s for Early Action consideration?

While we recommend that Early Action applicants complete testing requirements in their junior year, scores from the September and October test dates will typically arrive in time for consideration at Early Action. Students should make certain to request that scores be sent to Georgetown well in advance of the deadline to ensure timely receipt.

I haven’t taken the SAT Subject Tests yet. Can I still apply Early Action?

Absolutely. If you are a senior and have not yet taken recommended SAT Subject Tests, you may still apply Early Action and your application will receive full consideration. We do recommend that you register for these exams in the event that your application is deferred to Regular Decision.

Georgetown is my first choice. Is there an option for me to apply Early Decision?

No. Georgetown wishes to give all students the freedom to choose between schools until May 1. Candidates who view Georgetown as their first choice are strongly encouraged to apply under our non-binding Early Action program.

I was deferred at Early Action. What can I do to increase my chances of being admitted at Regular Decision?

Early Action admission is offered to a limited number of students, those whom the Admissions Committee is certain they would offer admission based on information from freshman, sophomore and junior years only. Deferred students are strongly encouraged to maintain high senior year grades and submit any new information, such as standardized test scores, new honors or awards.

If I have been admitted to Georgetown via the Early Action program, may I then apply to another school’s Early Decision II program?

No, only deferred students are free to apply to any other program. Admitted Early Action students are expected to be free to choose among their options through May 1.

If I have applied to Georgetown via the Early Action program, may I then apply to another school’s Early Decision program?

Early Action applicants may not simultaneously apply to another school’s Early Decision I or Early Decision II Program. Early Action applicants who have been deferred to Regular Decision may subsequently apply to another school’s Early Decision II program.

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