What is Early Decision and will an application for Early Decision be reviewed differently than an application submitted under Regular Decision?
The chief advantage of the Early Decision (ED) plan is that it allows highly qualified students who know that the University of Michigan is their top choice institution to affirm their commitment to the university earlier in the annual application cycle. Students who participate in the Early Decision plan can expect a decision notification by the end of December with a commitment date by mid-January. There are, however, a few aspects of the ED process of which to be aware before you apply.
- Early Decision is for first-year applicants applying for the fall term.
- Applications to the School of Music, Theatre & Dance (SMTD) will receive their decision as part of the Regular Decision process and are not considered for Early Decision.
- Students who wish to apply ED cannot apply as dual applicants to another U-M school or college, nor can they apply for preferred admission.
- Early Decision is binding. The applicant, a parent or guardian, and the high school counselor must sign an Early Decision Agreement, indicating the student’s commitment to attend U-M if offered admission. If admitted to U-M, you must immediately withdraw applications to all other colleges and universities.
- The Early Decision deadline to apply for financial aid is Nov. 15, and financial aid packages for students who submit their CSS Profile and FAFSA will follow closely after.
In order to qualify for ED, all required application materials, including the Common Application, high school transcript(s), School Report, and Teacher Evaluation must be either electronically received or postmarked by Nov. 1. If not test-optional, standardized test scores (ACT/SAT) must also be received or self-reported by Nov. 1.
The university will continue to maintain the Early Action (EA) and Regular Decision (RD) decision plans. Applicants applying for EA by Nov. 1 receive a decision by the end of January, while RD applicants, applying by Feb. 1, receive a decision by early April. Both EA and RD are nonbinding plans, requiring applicants to commit to the university by May 1 if they choose to accept their offer of admission. EA and RD applicants are encouraged to apply for financial aid (using the FAFSA and CSS Profile) by Dec. 15.
Regardless of the decision plan students select, the same holistic application review and selection process will be followed. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions promises no special privileges to Early Decision candidates, such as giving your application materials a higher priority or a more lenient review. Choosing to apply through Early Decision does not make it easier or harder to gain admission to U-M — it is merely a way to get your decision sooner.