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Application Programs
Early Decision (ED)
What is it?
Early Decision (ED) is right for you if you have firmly decided that Dickinson College is your first choice. If accepted ED, you must withdraw applications to other schools. It is important to note that applying ED does not prevent you from applying to other schools before you receive your Dickinson decision, so you won’t be disadvantaged if you are not accepted to Dickinson.
International students are encouraged to apply ED if Dickinson is their top choice.
Benefits
As an ED applicant, you will be given preference in the decision process. We value your commitment to Dickinson and have found that ED applicants become our most motivated students both inside and outside the classroom. In the smaller ED pool, you will be evaluated on your individual merits rather than in competition with a larger pool of students.
ED I is the application pool for which larger financial-aid packages are typically offered. If you are accepted and have applied for financial aid, we will offer you a financial-aid package that will meet your demonstrated need as supplied in your International Student Financial Aid Application and your Certification of Finances form.
Securing your enrollment through ED will also allow us to begin to process your visa paperwork earlier.
Deadlines
We offer two ED deadlines.
The ED I deadline is November 15. You will be notified of your admission decision by mid-December.
The ED II deadline is January 15. You will be notified of your admission decision by mid-February. ED II is more competitive for admissions and financial aid due to the offers already made in ED I.
If you are not accepted to Dickinson in either ED round, you may receive a defer decision and your application will be re-evaluated in the Regular Decision round. For that second review of your application, you may submit additional materials to support your application, such as a continued-interest e-mail, new standardized test scores and your latest grades and activities.
Early Action (EA)
What is it?
Early Action (EA) is recommended if you are not ready to commit to the binding ED application plan, but are strongly interested in Dickinson and want to learn your admission decision earlier than you would in Regular Decision.
International students are encouraged to apply EA, if ED does not fit their needs.
Benefits
EA offers the opportunity to be reviewed by the admissions committee in a smaller pool than in Regular Decision. You will benefit from the international-admissions committee learning of your interest in Dickinson sooner and you will receive your decision earlier. If accepted, you will have more time to make your final enrollment choice. If you choose to enroll earlier than the May 1 deadline, processing of your visa paperwork can begin sooner.
If you receive a defer decision in EA, your application will be re-evaluated in the Regular Decision round. For that second review of your application, you may submit additional materials to support your application, such as a continued-interest e-mail, new standardized test scores and your latest grades and activities.
Although we offer most financial aid in ED, we do offer more financial aid in EA than in Regular Decision.
Deadline
The EA deadline is December 1. You will be notified of your admission decision in early February.
Regular Decision (RD)
What is it?
Regular Decision is our largest applicant pool and the most competitive, as applicants compete for remaining spaces and financial aid. It is important that you demonstrate both strong academic credentials and your interest in Dickinson. Financial aid for international students is very limited in RD.
Benefits
This option is for students who are not able to make the binding commitment in ED and have missed the EA deadline.
Deadline
The RD deadline is February 1. You will be notified of your admission decision in late March.
If at any point during the Early Action or Regular Decision processes, Dickinson emerges as a strong choice for you, let us know. We can discuss a deadline extension for Early Decision or, at the very least, take your level of interest into consideration as we review your application in RD.