Ready or not, the college application season has begun. Early or not is the question.

There used to be a uniformity among colleges and their deadlines. When colleges recognized that many students chose to attend the first college that accepted them, they started a domino effect with earlier and earlier notifications, and then came earlier application deadlines.

Today I’ll review two of these programs: Early Action and Early Decision.

Early Action

Early Action is a great option for the well-prepared student who has a solid transcript and has taken the necessary standardized tests. Students apply early and are allowed to apply Early Action to as many colleges as they choose, except for the handful of colleges with the Single Choice Early Action program.

The biggest benefit for students is that they are notified early, in December or January. Many of the public institutions offer Early Action. Roughly 15 percent of colleges and universities across the country offer an Early Action option.

Oct. 15 is the first deadline for many colleges and universities.

Early Decision

Early Decision is binding; students who are accepted must withdraw their other applications and are bound to attend that school. Students are allowed to apply to just one school Early Decision. Deadlines are typically Nov. 1, with notification by mid-December.

There is a lot of folklore surrounding the perceived added benefits of applying Early Decision. How much likelier is an acceptance for a student who applies Early Decision rather than Regular Decision is variable. In some cases, there is big jump in acceptance rates, and at other colleges it is not a significant difference at all.

The higher rates of acceptance with Early Decision can often be attributed to a variety of factors. Typically the strongest students are applying early and would have been accepted in Regular Decision as well. Athletes, legacies and students with focused interests are encouraged to apply Early Decision, and these factors often skew the numbers.

Lee Shulman Bierer is an independent college adviser based in Charlotte, N.C. Visit her website College Admissions Strategies.