We are certain that many of you have heard of students who have applied to colleges using the options of Early Decision or Early Action.  It has become a much more popular practice in recent years, and for some students it is the right move.  (The vast majority of the current seniors submitted early applications this year).  However, for others the rush to apply early is not always done for the proper reasons.

On the positive side, there is a great sense of relief for the senior who is accepted under the early plan of a college.  Usually the entire application process wraps up by Christmas, and the student can enjoy the second half of senior year free of the stress often associated with waiting for college decisions.

On the negative side, the earlier deadline and the binding agreement involved with Early Decision mean that the student must come to a conclusion at the start of senior year that a particular college is the one for them.  Most students at this time are still unsure of their decisions, changing their minds almost daily.  The Early Decision candidate tends to build up her college as the “end all” institution.  Should that student not gain acceptance during the early phase, she is prone to a hard fall.  Once a student builds up a school and puts it on a pedestal, switching gears and thinking that other colleges could still make her happy is difficult at best.

Unfortunately, some students have treated the Early Decision option as strategy.  The feeling is that they will apply Early Decision and decide later what school it will be.  Do not fall into this trap!  If you find a school that you have thoroughly researched to be a perfect fit for your needs and interests, then Early Decision may be discussed as an option.

Early Decision programs have come under considerable scrutiny recently.  They have been viewed as an unfair advantage in the admission process for the wealthy and well connected.  Many colleges have been enrolling an extraordinary number of students through such application programs thereby improving their yield statistics and corresponding ratings in guide books.  By their nature, these early programs may also be partly responsible for some students making hasty college decisions.  As a result, we may be seeing a slow change in the usage of Early Decision.  Last winter Yale and Stanford, among other institutions, announced their intentions to discontinue their use of binding early programs beginning with this year’s applicants.  It is believed that other schools may follow this lead as they try to answer questions of “unfair” admission practices.