AS COMPETITION TO gain admission to the nation’s more selective colleges increases in intensity, strategizing simultaneously escalates. Some strategies border on the ridiculous – sending cakes and other gifts to admission offices. Others, however, have significant merit, and those who understand them often gain a considerable edge over those who do not.

How and when students apply to college can dramatically alter their chances for admission, and while terms such as Early Decision roll out of the mouths of television reports, they are seldom fully understood. Some definitions and pros and cons may empower students not otherwise privy to this information to gain the advantage of those privileged to attend schools where college counselors advise and plot strategies with them.

The National Association for College Admission Counseling offers definitions and interpretations of admission plans:

• Regular Decision is the application process in which a student submits an application to an institution by a specified date and receives a decision within a reasonable and clearly stated period of time. A student may apply to other institutions without restriction. Students have until May 1 to make an enrollment decision.

• Rolling Admission is the application process in which an institution reviews applications as they are completed and renders admission decisions to students throughout the admission cycle. A student may apply to other institutions without restriction.

At Wyoming Seminary, I urge all my students to apply to at least one college offering Rolling Admission in September of their senior year. Preferably that college should be one where they are fairly certain of their admissibility. That way they will have an acceptance early in their senior year, and some of the anxiety of waiting for admission decisions from colleges with Regular Admission will be assuaged. Often, colleges with Rolling Admission also become more selective as they admit students, so it is prudent to apply to all colleges with Rolling Admission by October of the senior year.

• Early Action is the application process in which students apply to an institution of preference and receive a decision well in advance of the institution’s regular response date. Students who are admitted under Early Action are not obligated to accept the institution’s offer of admission or to submit a deposit prior to May 1.

Under non-restrictive Early Action, a student may apply to other colleges. Applying under non-restrictive Early Action offers the same benefits of applying to a college offering Rolling Admission: The student learns a decision early in the senior year, yet the student has until May to make an enrollment decision.

• Early Decision is the application process in which students make a commitment to a first-choice institution where, if admitted, they definitely will enroll. While pursuing admission under an Early Decision plan, students may apply to other institutions but may have only one Early Decision application pending at any time. Should a student who applies for financial aid not be offered an award that makes attendance possible, the student may decline the offer of admission and be released from the Early Decision commitment. The institution must notify the applicant of the decision within a reasonable and clearly stated period of time after the Early Decision deadline. Usually, a nonrefundable deposit must be made well in advance of May 1. The institution will respond to an application for financial aid at or near the time of an offer of admission.

Institutions with Early Decision plans may restrict students from applying to other early plans. Institutions will clearly articulate their specific policies in their Early Decision agreement. Most colleges admit ED applicants at a higher rate than Regular Decision applicants, because ED applicants are making a commitment to attend that college. Because some colleges accept almost half of their class through ED, students who apply Regular Decision often face a much more competitive admission process as well. Students should only apply ED, however, if a college is truly a first choice, because they will be obligated to enroll if admitted. When students apply ED, they lose the ability to compare financial-aid packages, so they will never know if another college may offer them more need-based and/or merit money, yet often, the colleges that offer ED also are some of the most affluent and tend to provide the best financial-aid packages. Students seeking financial aid need to research the need-based aid policies of the college before deciding if ED is prudent.

• Restrictive Early Action is the application process in which students make application to an institution of preference and receive a decision well in advance of the institution’s regular response date. Institutions with Restrictive Early Action plans place restrictions on student applications to other early plans.

Institutions will clearly articulate these restrictions in their Early Action policies and agreements with students. Students admitted under Restrictive Early Action are not obligated to accept the institution’s offer of admission or to submit a deposit prior to May 1. Very few colleges offer Restrictive Early Action, and those that do have differing policies. For example, Georgetown prohibits Restrictive Early Action applicants from applying Early Decision to another college yet allows students to apply Early Action to other colleges, while Stanford prohibits its Restrictive Early Action candidates from applying to other colleges under Early Action, Restrictive Early Action, Early Decision or Early Notification programs. Again, researching the details of each college’s policy is essential.

The number of plans and the variations within them can be confusing, but most college Web sites clearly delineate the details of their particular plans. My best recommendation to students is to apply to colleges early in their senior year and apply to at least one “Rolling Admission” or “Early Action” college.

I cannot aptly depict the relief of receiving that first letter of acceptance, especially when that occurs in the fall, and other decisions will not be released until April. Through strategizing, students can significantly reduce their stress.

About the Author

$author.title covers $author.covers for the Times Leader. Reach them at $author.phone or $author.email.

Archives

College applicants feel the holiday rush COLLEGE COUNTDOWN KAREN MASON

Community colleges ease economic woes COLLEGE COUNTDOWN KAREN MASON

Benefits of Division III schools for athletes often overlooked COLLEGE COUNTDOWN KAREN MASON

Strategize smartly to master the college admissions process COLLEGE COUNTDOWN KAREN MASON

Experts debate latest SAT score reporting changes COLLEGE COUNTDOWN KAREN MASON

Altering school loan industry leaves shaky options for students COLLEGE COUNTDOWN KAREN MASON

Juniors can get summer jump on admissions COLLEGE COUNTDOWN KAREN MASON

Battle of state vs. private universities COLLEGE COUNTDOWN KAREN MASON