November can only mean one thing for seniors: Early Action and Early Decision. For those of you who do not know what those terms mean, that means you’re probably a freshman or a sophomore. Turn the page, move along. Your time is yet to come, young jedis.

No wait. Never mind. It’s high time for you all to learn what EAs and EDs are: You’ve probably been wondering what they are ever since you heard a tired senior wailing “I’m never going to submit my ED on time!” As Shakespeare once wrote, it is better that you young ‘uns learn three hours too soon than a minute too late. Today we’re going to delve into the world of college applications and everything (almost) that you have to know, because sooner or later you’re going to find yourself furiously writing college applications.

So first, what is EA? EA stands for Early Action, and is an application plan that allows students to apply to college early in the admissions process. It’s submitted around October or November depending on the college, and most results come out by January. However, it is important to note that not all schools offer EA. Schools that offer EA include Caltech, MIT, Georgetown, the University of Chicago, and the University of Michigan. What’s great about EA is that it is non-binding, meaning that students don’t necessarily have to go to the school even when they are accepted. It’s quite similar to the regular decision (RD) application plan, except that it’s for students who are ready to submit their application in November. Have your GPA ready? Your official test scores? Recommendation Letters? Essays? If yes, then consider applying as EA.

Second, ED. The most important thing about ED is that it is a binding “contract.” When you apply, you’re pledging that you will go to that school if you are accepted. If you choose not to go even after getting accepted, the school may inform other universities that you’ve applied to that you have broken your promise, leading to possible repercussions. Furthermore, you can only apply to one school as ED. This is the reason why most seniors apply to their dream schools as ED. It’s kind of like a bet: It’s either all or nothing. Well, there is a chance that you may get waitlisted, meaning that it’s not “all or nothing” but you get the gist. Anyhoo, most schools offer ED, and if you have a specific college that you really want to go to, considering the ED application plan is a great idea. Most schools accept ED by November 1st, and the results start rolling out around December 15th.

So this is it! Choosing to apply with a EA or ED application plan offers you many benefits, the best being that you get to learn your results earlier than a regular decision. For those of you who are reading this and thinking that it’s going to be a long time before you’re a senior, remember: It’s never too early to start thinking about college! I wish you the best of luck in your remaining high school years and upcoming college applications.