THE “EARLY DECISION”/ “EARLY ACTION” ADMISSIONS PROCESS

IS IT RIGHT FOR ME?

Few aspects of applying to college have generated more attention and discussion than “applying early”. If you’ve done your due diligence, i.e., visited and toured several campuses, viewed countless websites, and talked with alumni from various schools, you may want to consider this application option.

According to the CollegeBoard website, early application plans allow you to apply early (usually in November) and get an admissions decision well before the usual spring notification date. You know by December or January whether you’ve been accepted to your first-choice college. Sometimes, students who apply under these plans have a better chance of acceptance than they would through the regular admissions process.

Generally speaking, there are two types of Early Application processes: Early Action and Early Decision.

Early Action means you can apply to one or more schools and if you are accepted you are under no obligation to attend that institution. You can still apply to other colleges under regular decision plans and are not required to give your final answer until May 1. (the regular decision deadline). Examples of early action programs are Stanford and Georgetown University.

Early Decision is different. You agree to attend the college if it accepts you and offers an adequate financial aid package. This is a binding process since once you are admitted you are committed or bound to that institution. As a result, you can only apply to one early decision school. Both Duke and the University of Pennsylvania have early decision programs.

Single Choice Early Action works the same as other early action plans, but candidates may not apply early (either early action or early decision) to any other colleges.

Many students (and their parents, too!) feel an enormous sense of relief to have the college admissions process over with in December of their senior year. However, it is important to ask yourself a few tough questions to make sure that applying early is the right decision for you:

1. Have you made up your mind in October of your senior year about where you want to go to college? Remember, under early decision plans, if you’re accepted, this is where you’re going – no “buyers remorse” here!
2. Have you completed all of your standardized tests and are you satisfied with your scores? Many students need the first semester of their senior year in high school to raise both their test scores and GPA’s. You’ll have to save the “senioritis” behavior for the second semester!
3. Can you complete the application, write your essays, and obtain recommendations by November 1 of your senior year?
4. Will you need financial aid? If you apply and are accepted under an early decision program you won’t be able to compare various financial aid packages as you would during the regular admissions cycle.

If you can answer yes to all of these questions, you may be a candidate to “apply early” to college. However, if like many high school students, you need those extra few months to do additional research and mull things over, then wait and apply regular decision! The college years are arguably the four most important and influential years in your life – don’t be pressured into making a commitment if you’re not absolutely certain and absolutely ready.