Is applying Early the right decision for you?
October 12th, 2021Applying to college early can be a useful strategy, but each student must make thoughtful choices. When it comes to applying early there are typically two options: Early Action (EA) and Early Decision (ED).
Early Decision is binding, so you must be 100% certain you’ve found your best fit. ED students may apply to other schools simultaneously via Early Action (at schools with unrestricted EA policies) and Regular Decision, but only one through Early Decision. If you are accepted ED, you must attend that school and withdraw all other applications.
Early Action, the non-binding option, still provides some advantages for qualifying students. This policy gives students the opportunity to compare financial aid packages and admissions offers before making the final enrollment decision by May 1.
For seniors considering whether to apply early, please pay close attention to your top choice college’s requirements to determine whether this is a good path for you. The article linked below from Nerd Wallet gives a more in-depth look at early application options and is a great resource for students and parents.
Article referenced below from Nerd Wallet, written by Anna Helhoski published on April 30, 2021
Early Action vs. Early Decision: What’s the Difference?
Students who are accepted into college early have the advantage of peace of mind during their senior year of high school. Applying early decision or early action is a smart move for the confident applicant to stand out from the pack. But applying early is not for the faint of heart—those applicants who are accepted enter into a binding agreement to attend that college.
What does early decision mean?
It is critical for a student to be absolutely certain in the choice of early-decision college before applying. Prospective students can apply for regular admission to other schools, but cannot apply to any other college by early decision. If the student is accepted, any other applications must be withdrawn.
Tagged: Early action, Early decision
Important college application information you don’t want to miss
September 17th, 2019We’re a little over one month into the school year here in Kentucky, and our seniors both near and far have been working diligently on college applications throughout the summer. As their work continues, students are narrowing down college lists and organizing timelines for the application season. Those who are applying Early Action or Early Decision are in an especially productive mode!
Through all of this, many applicants often wonder what college admissions officers are really looking for. With the article linked below, we hope you will find the answers you are looking for.
Article linked below from Forbes, published on July 30, 2019, written by Brennan Barnard
Admission Deans Share Tips For College Applications
The end of summer feels imminent—not just because the airwaves are inundated with back-to-school advertisements, but also due to the growing frequency of calls to my high school counseling office. With the school year approaching, college applications are weighing heavily on rising seniors’ minds. While colleges and universities have a variety of application plans and deadlines, many students can expect to have at least one application due by early November. Yes, this is over three months away, but the fall can be hectic with classes, sports and activities.
Some students will undoubtedly procrastinate until just days or hours before their first application deadline. However, twenty years of guiding students through this experience has proven that this approach rarely ends well. It usually leads to poorly written essays, hastily drafted supplements and sloppily completed applications. Instead of waiting until the pressure is on, students are well advised to be proactive; the following wisdom from admission leaders offers guidance about how best to do this.
Tagged: Applications, Common application, Early action, Early decision
Early decision news: the wait will soon be over
December 11th, 2018December is here and while it is a glorious time filled with much anticipation of the holidays, it can also be filled with tension as students who applied Early Action or Early Decision anxiously await their college admission decisions.
While waiting is often the hardest part of this entire process, try not to worry too much. Many of you will receive just the news you are looking for. Yet no matter what happens, there are other excellent educational institutions around the country which might be the right fit and your applications are already well under way.
The article referenced below was written for the U. of Pennsylvania’s admission blog by Olivia O’Dwyer, a student at Penn, as an open letter to students who applied Early Decision. In this note, O’Dwyer tells about her experience on ED decision day and what she took away from this time. Her genuine and candid advice is a great reminder that the college admission process is a small stepping stone in your journey to become who you want to be. We believe everyone will find her words worth taking to heart.
We wish everyone the best possible outcome and while we hope for good news right alongside you, we are confident that you will be well placed in college whether or not the near-term news brings joy.
Article referenced below published on December 8, 2017 by University of Pennsylvania, written by Olivia O’Dwyer
Hello, readers!
If you’re reading this and you applied Early Decision to Penn, or to any other university – I know exactly how you feel. Even though it was almost exactly a year ago now, I can still be brought back in a second to those final few weeks, then days, then hours of anxiously awaiting my decision. Everything seemed to hinge on that moment, opening my email to a confirmation or rejection.
Read more at University of Pennsylvania >>Tagged: College, Early action, Early decision
Early Action and Early Decision: understand the difference
September 18th, 2018Is your heart set on one particular college? Should you apply Early (note the capital “E”) to signal your devotion?
Our last blog post focused on demonstrated interest. Applying Early Action or Early Decision certainly allows colleges to see your level of interest in attending. Many colleges admit Early Action and Early Decision candidates at higher rates than we see in the Regular Decision pool.
Applying Early Action involves no risk for the applicant. It simply moves the deadline to an earlier date, typically November 1, and applicants receive admission decisions well ahead of Regular Decision timetables. We believe that Early Action programs without strings are wonderful pathways for applications.
In contrast, Early Decision is binding. This is an enormous commitment and you must be 110% certain that this is where you would like to enroll. As with Early Action, the accelerated timetable allows for a much earlier decision to be returned, typically ahead of winter break. If you’re certain about wanting to enroll, this is a great pathway … but if you worry that you might look back in March and wish your other applications were still active, then it’s the wrong choice.
(Interesting aside: Early Decision is even making its way into the boarding school world!)
A small number of extraordinarily selective colleges offer their own twist on Early Action, called Restrictive Early Action or Single Choice Early Action. In these cases, students may not simultaneously apply for Early Decision elsewhere and in some cases, they may not even apply Early Action at other private schools. Make sure that you’re reading the fine print when going this route.
Would you like to learn more about the difference between Early Action and Early Decision? The article linked below from CNBC highlights exactly what you need to know to make your best choice.
Article referenced below published on November 1, 2017 by CNBC, written by Abigail Hess
This month, thousands of high school students will submit early action (EA) and early decision (ED) applications to colleges.
The deadlines for these types of applications are typically between November 1st and November 15th. Applying early action or early decision each have their benefits, but they’re very different.
“Most people pair early action and early decision because of shared deadlines, but I find that the only similarity between the two is the timeline,” says Ian Fisher, director of educational counseling at educational advising firm College Coach.
“EA is actually much more similar to regular decision, both in terms of the competitiveness of the pool and the freedom to choose from among a range of options once they’ve been admitted.”
Read more at CNBC >>
Tagged: Applications, Boarding school, College, Early action, Early decision, High school
