CampusPin Glossary
Restrictive Early Action (REA / SCEA)
A non-binding early option that restricts where else the applicant can apply early — typically barring other private-school early applications.
Restrictive Early Action (also called Single-Choice Early Action) is offered by a small set of highly selective schools (Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, MIT until 2023, and a few others). Applicants submit by an early deadline and receive a non-binding decision in December, but they may NOT apply Early Decision or Early Action to other private schools — public-school EA and rolling admissions are usually still allowed.
The rules vary slightly by school, so always check the specific REA/SCEA policy on the official admissions page.
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