You’ve had a dream school in mind for years. Or, you want to get the stressful college application process out of the way as soon as possible. Regardless of your reasoning, applying early action or early decision provides great options for students who feel confident with their application components and are willing to commit to a school. As you weigh the pros and cons of applying early, remember that you need to prepare your application about 2 months earlier than usual if you’re going after an October or November deadline. To make sure you have all your bases covered, we’ve provided a checklist to guide you through every step.