What You Should Do After Submitting Early Action or Decision Applications
October 16, 2025
The run-up to the October and November Early Action (EA) and Early Decision (ED) deadlines is, for many students, one of the most stressful times in their young lives. Yet, for all of the unwanted nerves and sleepless nights, there is also a dopamine rush that comes with striving single-mindedly toward an important life goal. Since the process of submitting all your early college applications can be quite intense, some teens are left with an overwhelming sense of鈥�”Now what?鈥� when EA and ED deadlines first appear in the rearview mirror.
What Should You Do After Submitting Early Action or Decision Applications?
While the two months until the next most common deadline date of January 1st can feel like a dead zone, there are actually seven consequential steps that you can take during this timeframe:
1. Confirm that all application materials have been submitted and received.
This doesn鈥檛 mean that on November 2nd, you should begin pestering the admissions office with 鈥淒id you get my application?鈥� emails. While you are understandably anxious to know that your application has landed safely in the hands of the intended gatekeepers, refrain from giving in to 鈥淎re we there yet?鈥� style harassment.
However, you should check your inbox daily (including spam folders). Once your application is received, most colleges will send a confirmation email within several days that includes access to an admissions portal. In this portal, you’ll be able to track which materials have been received by the school and which are still pending. Some programs, including the at Indiana University and the , require additional materials that can only be submitted through the portal. Likewise, if a school requires completion of a SRAR, you’ll typically need to link it through your portal as well.
Finally, an increasing number of schools now share admissions decisions via portal rather than email, so it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it early on.
If an email confirmation doesn鈥檛 arrive within one to two weeks, feel free to send the admissions office a short email inquiry asking them to confirm that your application was received.
2. Complete and submit any optional materials.
Within the aforementioned applicant portal, some colleges provide you with additional opportunities to differentiate yourself from the rest of the applicant pool. It’s important to take advantage of these opportunities, especially when a school considers demonstrated interest.
For example, , which will be available in their portals after they submit their main application, and have a slightly later due date of November 15th. Similarly, prospective to several optional prompts. to their applicant portals. Students applying to and have this option as well.
Interested in a school’s honors or scholarship program? Sometimes, you’ll apply directly through the Common App, but most often, you’ll apply to these special opportunities through鈥攜ou guessed it!鈥攖he applicant portal.
3. Schedule interviews.
Every school has a different interview policy. Some schools don’t offer them, period. Some solely offer on-campus interviews, while others have a virtual option. Still others only offer off-campus alumni interviews. Consult our comprehensive list of interview policies at 350+ schools for information about your prospective colleges.
If interviews are mandatory, like at or , you typically need to wait to be contacted. If interviews are optional or recommended, though, you’ll likely need to reach out proactively. Check the admissions website to see what steps you need to take.
Of course, don鈥檛 forget to prepare for the actual interview! To help you get ready, check out our college interview tips.
4. Continue working on Regular Decision apps and essays at a steady pace.
Like a runner in a marathon, it鈥檚 of vital importance that you pace yourself over these fall and early winter months. It’s true: Submitting your ED or EA application is a wonderful achievement that will give you a leg up as you look to tackle the remaining stages of the process. After all, you already have a polished personal statement that can be used for all future applications through the Common or Coalition App, your activities and honors lists are done, you’ve reported standardized testing, and you won鈥檛 have to re-enter the name of your mother鈥檚 employer or the GPA weighting system utilized by your high school ever again.
However, each college’s supplemental application will still require time, energy, and planning on your part, and the amount required will depend on the school. In particular, highly selective schools typically have lengthy supplemental essay sections that catch battle-weary applicants off guard later in the process, so plan to knock out as much writing as possible in November and early December. Although you may be tempted to wait until you hear back from your Early Action/Decision schools to dive in (who wants to do extra work if they might not have to?!), you’ll be playing a dangerous game. Nothing saps momentum faster than receiving a deferral or denial from your dream school. As painful as it may feel to spend time perfecting materials that don’t ultimately make it off your laptop, it will feel far more painful to submit half-baked essays or miss an important application component.
Do not, and we repeat, NOT, be tempted to use ChatGPT to write or heavily edit your essays. This is not only unethical but .
5. Consider additional standardized testing.
Both the ACT and SAT are offered in early to mid-December, so if your scores could be improved鈥攅ven a little鈥攜ou should strongly consider sitting one last time for the exam. Since you’ll typically be up against a much larger and more competitive applicant pool during the Regular Decision round, any increase to your scores can reap serious returns. On the SAT, students typically enjoy a natural improvement of 40 points the second time that they take the test, and the College Board found that just 20 hours of targeted practice through Khan Academy resulted in an average score gain of 115 points. Remember, thanks to the practice of superscoring, you only have to improve one section of either exam to improve your standing as an applicant.
Moreover, if you’re deferred from your top choice during the EA or ED round, you’ll often have the opportunity to submit a letter of continued interest (LOCI). In this letter, you can provide updates on any accomplishments or achievements you’ve earned since submitting your application. An increased SAT or ACT score would absolutely warrant inclusion and could even strengthen your case for admission.
Finally, keep in mind that admissions considerations are only one reason to consider sitting for one final exam. Standardized test scores also play a huge role in determining which applicants receive offers of merit aid.
6. Keep earning strong grades.
Most universities require you to submit senior year grades alongside your application (first-quarter grades for early applications, and first-semester grades for regular decision applications). And don’t think you’re off the hook after you’ve been accepted鈥擡D and EA admits typically need to submit a Mid-Year Report, and RD admits may need to submit a Final Report. Here are a few examples of senior year grade-submission policies at highly selective colleges:
Requires Early Decision applicants to submit first-quarter or first-trimester grades, and Regular Decision applicants to submit a Mid-Year Report.
: Requires Early Decision applicants to submit first-quarter grades, and all applicants to submit a Mid-Year Report. All accepted students (both ED and RD) must submit a final official transcript and a Final Report.
: Requires Early Decision applicants to submit first-quarter grades, and EDII and Regular Decision applicants to submit a Mid-Year Report. Tufts also evaluates the final grades of any accepted student who chooses to enroll.
: Does not require senior year grade updates post-application, but all application offers are provisional, meaning that accepted students who plan to enroll must submit final transcripts for evaluation & verification by July 1st.
: Requires Early Decision applicants to submit a fall progress report and first-term grades as soon as they are available. All other applicants must submit a Mid-Year Report.
While maintaining strong senior grades should be on everyone’s agenda (yes, you can have your acceptance revoked if you don’t), it’s of particular importance to late bloomers who want to demonstrate an upward trajectory or anyone who had a junior year blemish (or two). In addition, if you’re deferred or waitlisted, you’ll want to be able to cite evidence of your strong senior year performance in your letter of continued interest.
7. Keep your head up!
Think of all of the work you will do between November 1st and January 1st as purchasing an insurance policy. No one gets excited about buying insurance, but, boy, are you glad to have it when the roof collapses. If you end up opening an acceptance letter from your dream school right before the holidays, the last thing on your mind will be lamenting all of the 鈥渨asted鈥� hours preparing other applications鈥攜ou鈥檒l simply be too overjoyed. If less positive news arrives, you鈥檒l be eternally grateful to your past self (that鈥檚 you right now!) for having the foresight to prepare in advance for the challenges and duties that now lie ahead.
That said, senioritis and burnout can sneak up quickly, so if you find yourself struggling to make headway, check out our blogs on Surviving Senioritis and Staying Sane through College Application Season.
Final Thoughts
Looking for additional support as you prepare Regular Decision apps? Book a free consult or check out our free resources on聽, which includes a no-essay scholarship, an admissions calculator for 170+ institutions, college planning guides & templates, and example essays from accepted students.
