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Deciphering "Early Decision" College Admissions
With all of the stress surrounding college admissions, it is hard to believe that some students would actually choose to accelerate the selection and application process, but this is precisely the aim of applying for early admission. The option-which isn't available at all universities-may be a perfect fit for some students, but should be taken only after careful consideration. The greatest advantage to applying early is the acceptance rates, which are almost universally higher for students applying early. For students who are absolutely certain about their top-choice school, early admissions makes sense. However, there are a few catches.
There is a difference between Early Decision (ED) applications and Early Action (EA) applications. Early Decision is an incredibly restrictive option, since it requires a student applicant to promise that they will attend the school they've applied to once accepted. They are even required to withdraw any applications to other universities. There is no backing out. Early Action does not force students to commit to a single school. This is important for several reasons. First, students have the opportunity to shop for other campuses that might be a better fit. EA allows students to have a fall-back position if they don't make it into their top choice. One of the most significant barriers of ED is the fact that it precludes any negotiation of financial aid packages, and again, EA allows students to freely search for the best deal around.
Early admission has historically been a boon for colleges since the bulk of students applying can afford tuition and tend to have higher grades and scores. Strangely, the struggling economy hasn't put much of a strain on early admission numbers. Just this year, Princeton reinstated its early admission option, after having abandoned it just four years ago. Despite the extra pressure placed on admissions officers, the early application process is alive and well.
Labels: deciphering early decision college admissions
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