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Lists / Early Action 2021: Liberal Arts Colleges You Can Still Apply To EA

Early Action 2021: Liberal Arts Colleges You Can Still Apply To EA

Created by College Confidential
Photo: Vlada Karpovich/Pexels

If you want to apply early to a college but don't want to commit, consider applying Early Action. Most schools accept a larger percentage of early applicants than those who apply at the regular deadline. Unlike Early Decision, Early Action isn't binding, so you aren't required to attend if get in. If you do get in, you'll find out sooner than you would otherwise, which can take some of the stress out of the rest of the application season.

Liberal Arts colleges (LACs) are known for their focus on undergraduate education – most don't offer graduate degrees at all – and for providing a rich multidiscipline education. They often have small class-sizes and a tight-knit community. If you haven't decided if you want to apply early, or where you want to apply, consider the following LACS, which are all accepting EA applications in November or December 2021 for Fall 2022. Click each school to learn more about admissions, student life, academics and more. Like what you see? Heart the school to save it to your college list.

Rhodes College

Rhodes offers Early Decision and Early Action. The ED deadline is November 1st and the EA deadline is November 15th.

  • Rhodes College
    Memphis, TN • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $50,910
    Out-of-State
    $50,910
    Acceptance Rate57%

    • Reed College

    Reed offers three options for early admissions: Early Decision 1 & 2 and Early Action. ED1 and EA applications are due November 15, and ED2 is December 15th.

  • Reed College
    Portland, OR • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $60,620
    Out-of-State
    $60,620
    Acceptance Rate31%

    • Mitchell College

    The Early Action deadline for Mitchell College is November 15th.

  • Mitchell College
    New London, CT • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $35,072
    Out-of-State
    $35,072
    Acceptance Rate74%

    • Bennington College

    Bennington offers Early Decision 1 & 2 and Early Action.

  • Bennington College
    Bennington, VT • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $59,638
    Out-of-State
    $59,638
    Acceptance Rate60%

    • Hobart and William Smith Colleges

  • Hobart and William Smith Colleges
    Geneva, NY • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $60,240
    Out-of-State
    $60,240
    Acceptance Rate68%

    • Beloit College

    Beloit offers Early Decision and Early Action 1 and 2. The ED and EA1 deadlines are November 1st and the EA2 deadline is December 1st.

  • Beloit College
    Beloit, WI • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $54,680
    Out-of-State
    $54,680
    Acceptance Rate67%

    • Bard College

    Bard offers Early Decision and Early Action. Both early applications as November 1st

  • Bard College
    Annandale-on-Hudson, NY • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $60,270
    Out-of-State
    $60,270
    Acceptance Rate60%

    • Centre College

    Centre offers Early Decision and Early Action. The ED deadline is November 11th, and the EA deadline is December 1st.

  • Centre College
    Danville, KY • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $44,300
    Out-of-State
    $44,300
    Acceptance Rate76%

    • Goucher College

    Goucher offers Early Action with a December 1st Deadline.

  • Goucher College
    Baltimore, MD • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $47,300
    Out-of-State
    $47,300
    Acceptance Rate82%

    • Franklin & Marshall College

    F&M offers Early Decision and Early Action

  • Franklin & Marshall College
    Lancaster, PA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    Unknown
    Out-of-State
    Unknown
    Acceptance Rate38%

    • Earlham College

    Earlham offers Early Action 1 with a November 1st deadline and Early Action 2 with a December 1st deadline.

  • Earlham College
    Richmond, IN • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $48,091
    Out-of-State
    $48,091
    Acceptance Rate69%

    • Hampshire College

    The early action deadline for Hampshire is December 1st.

  • Hampshire College
    Amherst, MA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $54,452
    Out-of-State
    $54,452
    Acceptance Rate75%

    • Berea College

    The deadline to apply Early Action 1 to Berea is November 15th. The Early Action 2 deadline is January 31st. EA1 applicants will hear back in December and EA2 applicants will be notified in February.

  • Berea College
    Berea, KY • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    Unknown
    Out-of-State
    Unknown
    Acceptance Rate33%

    • Westmont College

    Westmont offers two Early Action deadlines. The EA1 deadline is October 15th, 2021, but the EA2 deadline is November 1, 2021.

  • Westmont College
    Santa Barbara, CA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $50,066
    Out-of-State
    $50,066
    Acceptance Rate79%

    • King's College

    King's College offers Early Decision and Early Action. Both applications are due December 1st, 2021.

  • King's College
    Wilkes-Barre, PA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $40,880
    Out-of-State
    $40,880
    Acceptance Rate96%

    • The College of Idaho

    College of Idaho offers two Early Action deadlines. The EA1 deadline is November 15th, 2021 and the EA2 deadline is January 15th, 2022.

  • The College of Idaho
    Caldwell, ID • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $32,575
    Out-of-State
    $32,575
    Acceptance Rate56%

    • Randolph-Macon College

    Randolph-Macon offers early action and early decision. The EA deadline is November 15th, and the ED deadline is November 1st.

  • Randolph-Macon College
    Ashland, VA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $46,460
    Out-of-State
    $46,460
    Acceptance Rate84%

    • Randolph College

    The EA deadline for Randolph is November 15th, and applicants should hear back December 15th.

  • Randolph College
    Lynchburg, VA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $26,890
    Out-of-State
    $26,890
    Acceptance Rate94%

    • Elmira College

    The EA Deadline for Elmira is November 1st, 2021 and applicants will receive a decision within two weeks, by November 15th.

  • Elmira College
    Elmira, NY • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $35,270
    Out-of-State
    $35,270
    Acceptance Rate82%

    • Augustana College

    The early application deadline for Augustana College is on November 1, 2021. 86% of applicants that applied early decision in 2021 got in to Augustana College.

  • Augustana College
    Rock Island, IL • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $46,189
    Out-of-State
    $46,189
    Acceptance Rate70%

    • Albion College

    The EA deadline is December 1, 2021. Albion admits 85% of students that apply early action.

  • Albion College
    Albion, MI • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $54,930
    Out-of-State
    $54,930
    Acceptance Rate73%

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