Single Choice Early Action for First-Year Applicants

Applicants who would like an admissions decision by mid-December may apply through Yale’s Single-Choice Early Action program (also known as Restrictive Early Action). The program is like other non-binding Early Action plans in that candidates who are admitted early may wait to respond to the offer of admission until May 1, and may apply to other schools for Regular Decision.

Yale’s Early Action program is unlike many other programs in that applicants who apply through Single-Choice Early Action at Yale may not also apply through Early Action or Early Decision to any other school with a few exceptions (see below). 

For Single-Choice Early Action applicants, the deadline to submit the Common Application or Coalition Application is November 1. Applicants receive an admissions decision in mid-December, and admitted students have until May 1 to reply to an offer of admission.

Applying Early to Other Colleges and Universities

Single-Choice Early Action applicants may also apply through other early admissions programs if the other program fits any of the descriptions below:

  • The early admissions program is a non-binding rolling admission program.
  • The early admissions program is a non-binding early program at a public institution.
  • The early admissions program is an Early Decision or Early Action program that notifies applicants after January 1. 
  • The early admissions program is at an institution outside the United States.

The Single-Choice Early Action Application Process

Applicants may select Restrictive Early Action as their application plan when completing the Common Application or Coalition Application before the November 1 deadline. In mid-December Yale releases admissions decisions for early action applicants. There are three possibilities:

  1. A non-binding offer of admission 
  2. Denial of admission
  3. Deferral for consideration in Regular Decision

The admissions committee reconsiders all deferred applications along with the Regular Decision applicants. Deferred applicants will receive a final decision by April 1. Applicants denied admission under Single-Choice Early Action are not eligible for further consideration for admission during that application cycle.

Evaluation of Single-Choice Early Action Applications

Single-Choice Early Action candidates are evaluated in the same way as are those who apply for Regular Decision. The Admissions Committee does not give an advantage to students who apply through Single-Choice Early Action.

For additional insights on Yale’s approach to early action, listen to Episode 28 of the Inside the Yale Admissions Office Podcast.