To Apply Early or Not; That is the Question
- Allison Steinmetz
- NSHSS National Scholar Award recipient
- Yale University
The process of researching possible college choices after you have finished all of the standardized testing (finally!) seems interminable, and the prospect of starting to fill out multiple, lengthy college applications is not appealing. Often, this makes many students feel very pressured to choose one college to apply to early decision in order to eliminate this horrifying task. Both parents and students want to have a decision sooner, do less application work, fewer interviews, and ostensibly increase their chances of admission. Unfortunately, in this rush to judgment, many students make a mistake that plagues them for the next four years of their lives. After preparing so carefully with your grades, extracurriculars, and college choices, don’t try to avoid a little extra work at this point in the game unless your choice is clear. Be careful!
The statistical benefits of applying early are not always as they seem. Some schools report a slightly higher admittance rate early, but this statistic is hardly consistent or significant, and can be misleading. Recruited athletes, legacies, and very strong academic candidates all apply early, which is a very different population of students than seen in the regular decision pool. Therefore, early decision or early action may not increase your chances among applicants equal to you. You may be putting yourself into a more competitive pool, potentially decreasing your chances of acceptance.
The decision to absolutely commit to one school if you are accepted is huge ; it is not one that should be made for any reason other than that you can absolutely see yourself at that particular school and “know” it’s the right choice for you. Many of my friends made an early decision choice that ended up not being right for them because they did not know that much about the school except that it was a bit of a reach and seemed right. As you will soon find out when you get to college, every aspect of life matters – food, dorms, people, campus, academics, social life, etc. – you should be completely well-acquainted with all of these facets and more before making your commitment.
If you feel that you want to apply early decision, visit the school one more time, contact current students or staff, read about the student body, and do whatever else you can to assure yourself that your decision is perfect for you. Remember, there isn’t just one school that’s right for you. There are a lot of them, and mostly, there are some schools that are not right for you. It’s college, and so it will naturally be great! If you find the college that feels like the best fit across the board, that’s when you decide that early decision is for you.
One factor that is often overlooked is the student body. Your fellow students are going to be your friends, family, enemies, significant others, classmates, teammates, etc., and each school has its own dynamic. Find the student society that matches who you are and where you want to be.
Applying early is an option that was created to help people who absolutely, definitely, positively want to attend a certain school. If this person is you, then good luck with your decision. But don’t give in to the lure of an easy way out of a process that seems infinite at this point. You are on the end run of a long journey, but if you sprint too early, you won’t get where you want to be. Good luck!