Tag Archives: early decision

admissions, college guidance, college planning

Applying to College: Early Decision (ED)

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This week, I’m going to discuss the different ways students can apply to college. Each has its benefits and its negative aspects. If your student is trying to decide when to apply, these articles should help.

early decision

Early Decision has become more and more popular among students applying to college. A vast majority of students are opting to apply Early Decision to their first-choice colleges in order to get an answer before Jan. 1, rather than waiting for the regular college application cycle in the spring. Not every college offers that option, you can see the complete list here: Early Decision Schools: Complete List of ED Colleges.

Early Decision (ED) is the most restrictive of the early deadlines, Early Decision is a binding agreement between the student and the institution, meaning that a student must enroll if offered admission. The key point to remember is that a student may apply to only one college ED. If you are admitted ED, throw confetti in the air and buy your college sweatshirt! Your college process is done. Some colleges also offer Early Decision II, which typically has a January deadline. If you were denied or deferred from one college in the first round of ED, you can apply to another college via EDII.

What are the deadlines for Early Decision?

Early Decision application deadlines are usually prior to Nov. 1. The deadlines for Early Decision II and regular decision are usually Jan. 1. Decisions for Early Decision applications usually arrive the middle of December. EDII decisions are usually received by the middle of February. Regular decisions usually arrive mid-March.

Why would students choose Early Decision?

Students who have made the decision to pursue one dream college should consider applying Early Decision. If they do, they will know before winter break if they have been offered admission. It’s a huge stress reliever that allows the student to enjoy the remaining months of senior year knowing a college decision is locked in.

And, if you apply Early Decision, your college application will be at the top of the stack and will precede regular decision applicants, giving you an early advantage.

Early Decision students have a significant admission advantage at many colleges. You can check out how much by visiting the college’s page at the College Data website. For instance, overall, 23 percent of Bates College applicants were admitted. But, when you look at the Early Decision applications, 50 percent of those applicants were admitted.

What are the risks to applying Early Decision?

The downside to applying Early Decision is financial. Parents and students will not have the option to compare financial aid packages from multiple colleges. Early Decision applicants could miss out on scholarship and merit aid opportunities at other colleges. Applying Early Decision doesn’t assure a generous financial aid package – and the decision is binding.

If you can’t afford to pay the tuition at the college of choice, it might be better to opt for an Early Action or regular decision application. Neither of these are binding and you can compare financial aid packages before accepting an offer of admission.

What happens when an Early Decision student is deferred?

Being deferred means a school is still interested in a student and will review the application again with the regular decision applicants. The odds of being admitted from a deferral are slim, however. It might be time for your student to move on to other college choices and start those applications.

What is Early Decision II?

A few colleges also offer ED II. Students who apply using this option can apply in early January and receive a binding offer of admission by February. The application deadline for this option is the same as for regular decision applicants, but these students receive word on admittance sooner and must commit upon acceptance.

Does Early Decision mean an easier senior year?

Being accepted early does not mean a student can skate through senior year. Students who apply Early Decision will still be held to the standard of academics under which they were accepted. Since most Early Decision applications submit junior year grades, colleges will require a final senior year transcript. If the grades don’t measure up to the year’s previous grades and/or fall short of the college’s academic requirements, a college can rescind its offer of admission.

admissions, college guidance, college planning

Wednesday’s Parent: EA and ED–Just Get It Over With (and other reasons)

 

early decisionToday’s topic: applying EA (early action) and ED (early decision). It’s the first week of November and those applications will be arriving at the colleges. Granted, it’s a quick process to complete once school begins in the fall, but there are some good reasons to take advantage of these options.

Your application arrives with fewer applicants (you stand out)

It stands to reason that the bulk of the students will be applying regular decision, which falls in early January. If you apply EA or ED, your application will be at the top of the stack.

My colleague and good friend, Paul Hemphill, talks about the choice to apply early, in Applying to college: How early? Which “early”? “Applying early,” claim the authors of The Early Admissions Game, “provides a significant admissions advantage, approximately equivalent to the effect of a jump of 100 points in SAT-1 score.”

You get to cross that task off your list (and relax)

When the holidays arrive, your applications are complete and you can load up on all the sweets and turkey your heart desires. You can relax during the break and know that you are ahead of the game.

You get your acceptances early (and it’s done!)

ED decisions usually arrive in December. EA decisions arrive in January or February. You don’t have to wait until April when all the other offers of admission arrive. If you are applying EA, you have more time to make your final decision.

You can focus all your energy on scholarships (it’s all about the FREE money)

Now that you know you’re accepted, you can focus your time and energy over the next few months on searching for scholarships. You will need to pay for that education. And there’s nothing better than FREE money to pay for that huge price tag.

You can focus on your academics (don’t fall prey to senioritis)

You’re in—but that doesn’t mean you can skate through senior year. Colleges have been known to pull offers of admission. Final transcripts are important so use the extra time you have to bump up that GPA.

Read Wendy’s Post: Choosing an Admission Program is Like Buying a Mattress

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Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

The bonus is on the fourth Wednesday of each month when Wendy and I will host Twitter chat #CampusChat at 9pm ET/6pm PT. We will feature an expert on a topic of interest for parents of the college-bound.

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from parentingforcollege to pocsmom.com and vice versa.

admissions, how to, Uncategorized

How to Understand EA and ED

 

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ea pr ed

EA (Early Action) and ED (Early Decision) have confused parents for years. Applying to college has become more competitive and more complicated. Years ago (long before my time), all you did was apply and everyone applied at the same time. But times have changed and so have college applications. If you break the terms down it’s easier to understand. I’ve turned to some experts to help you decipher the differences and understand the benefits and/or the downsides of applying EA or ED.

What is EA and ED?

The first comes from Patrick O’Connor, Associate Dean of College Counseling, Cranbrook-Kingswood School, and author of College is Yours 2.0:

Early Action: Also known as EA, colleges that offer this option promise a quick response if you submit a completed application by their early deadline. Students admitted EA don’t have to promise to attend the college; they just want to hear back sooner than usual. Students can apply as EA candidates to several colleges at the same time, as long as they are submitting a quality application that didn’t get thrown together at the last minute.

Restricted Early Action: Sometimes known as Early Action Single Choice, REA works much like Early Action, but the student is limited in the number of other colleges where they can submit early applications — and that number is often zero. Colleges do this for a number of reasons, but they most often want the student to show a special commitment to their college without having to promise to go there. This can reduce the number of students who apply early who aren’t really thinking about why the college is right for them , and still reward the students who feel a special bond to the school.

Early Decision: ED applications require a little more from students than EA applications. The process is the same — students submit a completed application by an early deadline — but if a student is admitted as an ED student, they promise to withdraw all other college applications at attend the college that admitted them ED. If this sounds like serious business, it is. Students should only apply ED to a college they absolutely, positively love, and cannot live without.

Read Patrick’s entire article on Huffington Post about how to determine if either of these is best for your student.

Tips for Potential ED/EA Applicants

Peter Van Buskirk, an acclaimed author and motivational speaker, excels at simplifying and demystifying what is often perceived as a complex and mysterious process—college admission. His creative programming, including his signature presentation of “The Admission Game®,” has informs parents and students about the ins and outs of the college admissions process.

Peter gives several tips for college applicants seeking EA/ED:

  • Read the fine print for each institutional offering and understand your commitments before initiating an early application of any sort.
  • Rather than looking for an “ED school,” focus on finding colleges that fit you well as you arrive at your short list of schools. If one of them becomes your absolute first choice, then ED should be a considered option.
  • Do not apply ED unless you are dead certain of your commitment to enroll if accepted.
  • Do not apply ED if you have not visited the campus first! Ideally, your visit will have included an overnight stay that enabled you to also attend classes and experience the campus culture.
  • Resist the temptation to act on impulse. The feelings you have for a college now might change greatly over time leaving you committed to a place that is no longer where you want to be. Give yourself at least a month to reflect on your intended application before applying ED.
  • Remember the ED Round II option. Many schools will give you the opportunity to “convert” your Regular Decision application during a second round of ED in January. The conditions are the same as with ED Round I, but you might be better prepared to make a commitment later in the year.
  • Resolve all $$ questions and concerns before applying ED. Once you are admitted, there can be no contingencies. Ask the school’s financial aid office to provide an “early estimate” of your expected family contribution (EFC) before you submit your ED application. Apply ED only if you are completely satisfied with the information you receive regarding your EFC.
  • Sprint to the finish! Even though you might hold an EA or ED acceptance letter, it is likely to be conditional on your completion of the senior at the same level of achievement that earned you the offer of admission. More than a few colleges are known to rescind offers of admission when final transcripts show performances that drop measurably after offers of admission are secured.

Read Peter’s entire article, Making Sense of ED/EA Options. for a look at the numbers, options and who benefits.

What is “rolling admissions”?

Schools with rolling admissions offer important options and opportunities that static deadlines don’t. Rolling admissions schools will accept and examine applications as they are sent in, instead of waiting to judge all applications concurrently. Schools with rolling admissions can be great for late admissions, or for finding out early on whether or not you are accepted, so you can change your plan accordingly.

Peterson’s provides an article about the Advantages and Disadvantages of Rolling Admissions.

What is regular admissions?

A discussion of EA and ED needs to include a discussion on regular admissions as well. Regular admissions require that the student submit their application before the application deadline (which is later than EA and ED). The advantage of this being that students have more time to prepare and have no restrictions on the number of schools they can apply to.

This pool of applicants is much larger and the competition for these slots will be more competitive. Colleges typically have lower admission rates for regular admission applicants.

College 101 provides a comparison table, which includes EA, ED, Rolling Admissions, and Regular Decision, to help decide which application deadline is right for you.