Why I Applied Early Action

We’re in the thick of college application season, and that means you might be trying to figure out by which application deadline you should submit your application.

Here’s what you need to know:

Furman has four application deadlines: Early Decision 1, Early Action, Early Decision 2, and Regular Decision.

But what does all of that mean?

Early decision 1 and 2 are binding, meaning if you apply to Furman as an early decision applicant, if you are accepted, you will attend Furman. It’s like you saying, “I know 100% that this is the school I want to go to.” 

Early decision 1 applicants usually receive their application status sooner than all other applicants and are the first people admitted to the incoming class. Early decision 2 is still binding, but the deadline is a little bit later. This can be a good option for people who know Furman is their number one choice, but weren’t sure about that as early on as early decision 1 applicants.

Early action is not a binding decision, but you submit your application to Furman sooner and receive an admission notification sooner. 

Regular decision is not a binding decision either, but you don’t have to submit your application until January and you may not receive an admission notification until March. 

So why did I choose to apply Early Action?

I applied to Furman early action because I wanted to have as much time to make a decision as possible… and I was really impatient with finding out where I would have the opportunity to go to school.

After attending admissions events including Mosaic’s “Furman Diversity Connection” where I was able to stay with a multicultural student overnight and really experience what it might be like to be at Furman, I really fell in love with the school. 

But, I wasn’t sure if Furman was my top choice and I knew choosing a college would come down to whichever school gave me the best financial aid package, so I applied EA so I could still explore other possibilities.

Luckily, all the stars aligned and I found out around the winter holidays that I was accepted to Furman. I also found out that I would be receiving a good scholarship if I were to attend. I had already begun falling in love with the idea of Furman, so knowing it would be a good financial decision too really sealed the deal.

Early action allowed me to have time to learn more about Furman, talk to current students about their experiences, and to really imagine myself at Furman and make sure I was totally comfortable in my decision. 

After deciding to commit, it made me feel super relieved to know where I was going to school the next year. It helped with my senioritis because I knew I had something to continue working for and to look forward to. 

Any advice for prospective students going through the application process right now?

If I could go back and give my senior-self advice during the application process it would be to not rule out any of your options.

I never expected myself to end up loving Furman, but here I am! I was so caught up in trying to go to schools that I thought I was “supposed to” go to, that I didn’t actually spend a lot of time thinking explicitly about what I wanted from a college experience and a university itself. 

Focusing on what YOU want out of your college experience and not what other students are looking for is the best way to make sure you go to a school that’s the best fit for you.

And finally, remember that you’re going to end up exactly where you’re meant to be. Even if it’s not your top choice or a place you ever imagined yourself being– everything happens for a reason and you will end up somewhere that’s just right for you!

-Asha