Good question — and this is one of those things people really underestimate.
How schools actually check EA/REA violations
They don’t rely on just one method; it’s overlapping checks.
1. Your high school counselor
This is the biggest one.
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Counselors submit a School Report and an Early Application Agreement
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They must certify that:
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You are following each school’s EA/REA/ED rules
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If a student tries to apply Stanford REA and MIT EA:
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The counselor will usually refuse to submit both
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Or will alert one/both schools
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This alone catches most cases.
2. Common App / application systems
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The Common App flags early applications
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When multiple early apps are submitted to private schools:
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It raises internal alerts
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Even if the system doesn’t auto-block submission:
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Schools can see your application round history
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MIT uses its own system, but counselors still submit materials that reveal the round.
3. Inter-school communication
Admissions offices do talk—especially among top schools.
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During early rounds, schools sometimes:
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Share lists to ensure compliance
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Confirm that students accepted REA/EA aren’t violating policies
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This is more common than people think among HYPSM-level schools.
4. Post-acceptance verification
Even if someone “gets away with it” initially:
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After acceptances go out:
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Schools may re-verify eligibility
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Counselors are contacted again
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If a violation is found:
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Admission can be rescinded (yes, even in April)
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5. You (or someone else) accidentally disclose it
This happens a lot:
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Mentioning it in an email
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Writing about “my other EA school” in an interview
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Parents contacting admissions
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Recommenders referencing multiple early apps
One loose sentence is enough.
Bottom line
This isn’t like speeding where everyone does it and hopes not to get caught.
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The counselor certification makes this especially hard to bypass
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At schools like Stanford and MIT, violations are treated as:
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Integrity issues, not technical mistakes
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Real-world advice
If someone is choosing between Stanford REA and MIT EA:
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Pick one
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Put the other in Regular Decision
There is zero admissions advantage worth the risk here.
If you want, I can:
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Help decide which early option is smarter for a specific student profile
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Or sketch a safe early/regular strategy across reach/target schools
