Colleges cut early decision
By Katie Gaab, contributing writer
Posted on September 25, 2006

The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that in the fall of 2007, Harvard, America’s oldest university, will drop early decision from its admissions process. The office of admissions hopes this move will allow the opportunity for more minority and low-income students to apply.

The Chronicle reported approximately two-fifths of applicants are admitted early.

Students such as Kelly Carr, a freshman at JMU, liked the early decision option.  

“I liked knowing that I was accepted by places in December rather than waiting until the spring,” she said.

 On the other hand, it could diminish the stress level of applicants and their families and allow them to actually find a good fit. As Jennifer Goodhart, a freshman at Harvard University, said, “A lot of guidance officers advise students to ‘play the game’ by applying early when the rates of acceptance are higher.”

She added,  “So, eliminating early action will get rid of that strategic, intimidating factor.”

Either way, it will take a while before other universities join Harvard in this decision.

Despite Harvard’s beliefs, JMU will continue to use early action in their admissions process. This allows students to apply by Nov. 1 and be accepted by mid-January.

It is non-binding, unlike early decision, which requires the student to attend if admitted.

From JMU’s pool of early  action, approximately 60 percent are deferred until the regular admission decision. Of that 60 percent, 40 percent were eventually admitted.

Although JMU claims that early action applicants have no advantage over regular applicants, it still seems to cause stress for that anxious high school senior camping out by the mailbox.

“Early action forces you to single out your top choice,” Goodhart said. “Without that, I think people would view all of their possible schools more equally.”