For everyone, college just can’t come quickly enough.

Living and growing with friends sounds like the best possible four years of one’s life. However, getting in has been rumored to be the hardest part about the whole experience.

With more and more pressure being applied to current seniors, many want to get the application process over as quickly as possible. This year, many have turned to early applications in hope of getting accepted five months early.

“I [applied early decision] because I wanted to find out sooner where I was going next year,” senior Alex Butler said, who hopes to attend Boston University next fall.

The deadline for early applications falls either at the beginning of November or the middle of November depending on the school.

Since the early application deadline is well before those of any regular decision program, many students feel it allows them to concentrate on the single school.

“Since it was just one application that I had to worry about I felt that I could take my time and still get everything together,” senior Danny Steinberg said, who applied early decision to Brown University.

Students who apply early decision can only apply to a single school are legally bound to attend if accepted.

Statistically, applicants have a much better chance of being accepted when applying early. Early acceptance rates are practically double regular decision acceptance rates at many of the most competitive colleges.

“Part of my decision [to apply early] was the fact that it would help my chances,” Steinberg said.

Brown University accepts 23 percent of early applicants compared to just 13 percent of regular decision applicants.

“I figured my best chance would be early decision,” senior Emil Thyssen said, who applied to the University of Miami. “If I wasn’t accepted through early action, then I would have beaten myself up over not doing everything I could have to get in. This way, I know that I’ve done everything possible.”

The University of Miami is one of the few colleges that offer both early decision and early action.

However, some psychologists have raised a criticism of early decision, arguing that having teenagers make a binding life=changing decision is unnecessary and unfair.

The only way a student accepted through early decision can break their attendance contract is to demonstrate it would be financially impossible for them to attend.

“I really just couldn’t decide,” senior Eve Root said. “I didn’t want to commit to a school and then later change my mind and be stuck.”

Many have embraced early action as a way for students to declare their intent early while still leaving all options open.

Early action is similar to early decision, except applicants are not bound to the school. Additionally, applicants can apply to as many schools via early action as they wish. The only exceptions are Stanford University and Yale University, which offer restrictive early action, meaning an applicant can only apply to the one school.

“I applied early action to increase my chance at my first choice,” prospective Northeastern student Sam Visser said. “I actually wouldn’t have applied early decision because of the financial packages other schools might offer me.”

But whether it’s early or not, all agree that finally knowing where the next four years of one’s life will be spent is worth it no matter what.

Schools alert prospective students about the result of early applications on Dec. 15.