“If I apply early, will that make me an Early Decision applicant?” This is a common question for us in Admissions. The difference between Early Decision and applying early can become confusing, because the terminology is similar.
Applying early means that you apply regular decision, but you send your application well before the January 10 priority deadline. If accepted, a $300 enrollment deposit must be paid by May 1 to reserve a seat in the freshman class. A full refund of the deposit will be granted if you withdraw your application before May 1.
The Early Decision Plan has an Application Deadline of November 15. Students whose first choice is Elon University are encouraged to apply Early Decision. There are several advantages to being accepted under the Early Decision Plan:
-notification of the admissions decision within three weeks of the receipt of the completed application, beginning October 1
-the opportunity to attend the first Spring Orientation Weekend
-priority status for housing and registration
-an early financial aid estimate
The Early Decision Agreement is a binding agreement that a student will enroll at Elon if accepted. Early Decision students who are accepted agree to withdraw applications from all other colleges and submit a nonrefundable $300 deposit to Elon by January 15. You must complete the Early Decision Agreement on the application and check the Early Decision box.
Admissions will process both applications concurrently. Those who apply Early Decision will have a decision within 3 weeks; Regular applicants will be notified within 6-8 weeks.