What high school senior would not like to know where she is going to college well before her peers do?
Both Early Decision and Early Action--admissions policies that allow students to apply months before regular admissions deadlines--can be good options for well-prepared high school seniors who know what they want in a college. These early electives offer students the opportunity to get a jump on the college admissions process.
The two options offer obvious advantages to promising students: the security of knowing where she is headed before most of her fellow students and friends have applied; the ability to plan for the future with some degree of certainty; and, most importantly, an admissions advantage at a school that may be a stretch since many colleges have higher admissions rates for early applicants.
There are some important differences between the two options:
More than 400 schools offer some kind of Early Action plan. For a student who has identified a strong first choice, it is a welcome relief to have the decision made ahead of time.
Many colleges admit half of their class through Early Decision. For a borderline applicant, this can be a great way to improve her odds for admission by showing her devotion to the particular college. "In some cases admissions rates are two or three times higher for students who apply early," according to a 2006 New York Times article.
For instance, last year, Amherst College had a 17.5 percent admissions rate in the regular applicant pool, but 33.6 percent in Early Decision. The same is true of Cornell University, which admitted 18 percent in regular admissions and 39 percent in Early Decision, while Dartmouth admitted 11.5 percent regular and 30.1 percent early. So it pays to know what you want early on.
There are other compelling reasons to seriously consider taking the Early Decision route.
Research by Professor Christopher Avery of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government found that an Early Decision application can make a big difference in the competitive application process--tantamount to scoring 100 extra points on the SAT.
Early Decision gained popularity in the 1990's, largely because colleges could lock strong candidates in early and show a good "yield" in their public numbers (the proportion of accepted students who end up enrolling).
However, the process was often criticized for offering an unfair advantage to students from wealthier school districts who had access to independent educational consultants who would tell them about the Early Decision option and encourage it.
In recent years, several schools have eliminated Early Decision for these reasons, based in part on the feeling that it discriminates against those seeking financial aid. Since early decision applicants are legally obligated to attend a college if accepted Early Decision and must withdraw applications to other colleges if they have already submitted them, they are not able to compare financial aid packages and are at a disadvantage when negotiating with the colleges they are committed to attending.
In 2004, both Yale University and Stanford University eliminated binding Early Decision and introduced something they call "Single Choice Early Action." This option still allows dedicated students to find out early if they are accepted, but they are not bound and can compare packages later in the year after they receive their regular admission decisions.
In 2007, Harvard University ended its non-binding Early Action program on a trial basis, moving to a single admissions deadline--January 1--with the intent of evaluating that decision after several years. The reason was a concern that the admissions process can be difficult to navigate in general and that disadvantaged students might not have access to the early admissions process.
"Early admission programs tend to advantage the advantaged," then-President of Harvard, Derek Bok, told the Harvard Gazette in 2006. "Students from more sophisticated backgrounds and affluent high schools often apply early to increase their chances of admission, while minority students and students from rural areas, other countries, and high schools with fewer resources miss out."
Besides the issue of equity, the maturity level of some of the early applicants has been a concern. Many changes happen over the course of the senior year in high school, and students accepted at colleges early may be prone to let their academics slide in the spring of their senior year. As Bok also told the Harvard Gazette, "[Those] who apply early and gain admission to the college of their choice have less reason to work hard at their studies during their final year of high school."
A few months after Harvard's action, Princeton University eliminated its early admission program as well, also on the basis that it "advantages the advantaged," according to Princeton University President Shirley M. Tilghman, and that doing so would help eliminate some of the stress, complexities, and inequities in the process. "We hope very much that our decision will encourage other colleges and universities to join in eliminating early admission programs," she said
It did in some cases, including the University of Virginia (which reversed that policy last year) and the University of Florida.
However, largely due to an increasing interest in early admissions over the past several years, Harvard and Princeton recently reinstated their Early Action option and early admission program, respectively.
On February 24, 2011, the Harvard Gazette announced that Harvard would restore non-binding Early Action admissions beginning this fall, while greatly enhancing its recruiting program to help promising students of modest means work through the admissions process. A key concern was that many talented and well-prepared students from varying backgrounds were choosing colleges with an Early Action option and therefore forgoing the opportunity to apply to Harvard.
That same day, according to the Daily Princetonian, the University announced plans to reinstate its early admission program for Class of 2016 applicants, offering a single-choice Early Action option. This requires applicants to apply only to Princeton but does not require them to accept an offer of admission until the spring. This is instead of the binding Early Decision option offered by Princeton from 1996 to 2006. Princeton also acknowledged that despite its hope that other colleges and universities would also eliminate their early admission programs, few had done so.
Planning for college takes careful thought and organization, whether a student decides to go the Early Action or Early Decision or some other route. It is a decision that requires careful consideration by students with the support and assistance of their parents and others who can provide helpful information and advice along the way.
Understanding the process makes this often-stressful time go more smoothly and helps ensure a satisfying result.