Applying Early Decision?

Many students and families believe that it is advantageous to apply early decision or early action to their first college choice. When you do this, in most cases you are required to attend that school if you are admitted. With early action, your decision is delivered early, but you do not have an obligation to go to that school. There can indeed be some real pros (and cons) to this approach. Let's take each then talk about what to do if your early decision opportunity does not work out.

Advantages of Early Decision/Action:

1. You are done. If you get in you know as early as December where you are going to school whereas all your classmates have to sweat it out until April.

2. You have a better shot. You almost always have a meaningfully better chance of getting into any school early decision. This is because if a school admits you in the regular admission pool they cannot be sure you will in fact choose their school among others you may be admitted to. With early decision the school knows for sure that you will attend. They care a lot about this "yield" factor - the percent of accepted students that actually end up going to that school.

3. It eases the burden. You only have to complete one application (if you get in that is!).

Disadvantages of Early Decision/Action:

1. Fewer financial aid choices. If you want to maximize your opportunities for financial aid, many families think it it better to have options at multiple schools to see who offers the best deal. However, most colleges tell you that if you are admitted early decision and a financial aid package cannot be worked out to your satisfaction, they will let you out of your commitment. But watch your timing as other applications would be due shortly thereafter.

2. Deciding very early. Applying early decision requires you to decide by late October of your senior year what college you definitely want to attend. Teens are growing and maturing every month, and some feel differently about this choice in mid April of senior year than right at the beginning. So it effectively "locks you in" to a choice that may end up moving down the list 6 months later.

3. Rushing regular decision applications. If you are deferred or rejected from your early decision choice, you must then hurriedly prepare applications for regular decision, which could be to as many as 12-15 schools. Some schools do not tell you their early decision until December 15. This gives you maybe two weeks until most schools' January 1 deadline for regular decision. Solution: You may not like it, but start preparing those applications before you hear from the early decision school.

What if I am Deferred or Rejected from my Early Decision School?

1. Do not panic if deferred! If you are deferred, you still might get in. The key is contacting the school directly to see if they felt there is something you might be able to do to improve your chances in the regular pool. Maybe a retake of the ACT, etc.

2. If rejected, simply move on. You may have had your heart set on a particular school, but that opportunity is now not avaiable. Start finding ways to get excited about the other choices that you have. And remember, if you are really determined with regard to the school that rejected you, you can always consider trying to transfer after awhile.

3. Get moving on those other apps. Unfortunately you are going to have a lousy winter vacation completing the applications for other schools. Don't lose momentum, find the energy to make sure the individual essays for each school are well thought out - this is still your future you're talking about! Of course, working on them before December 15 is also a good idea.

In sum, for many people early decision or early action is a great way to improve your odds and simplify your work (hopefully). But choose very very carefully to make sure this is really the school for you!

Want to learn more? Call Barbra Feldman at 516-721-1858 or email her at yourcollegechoice@yahoo.com.