As the popularity of early action and early decision programs reaches unprecedented heights, current trends find some selective colleges disbanding such programs.

Early admission programs were originally intended to simplify the college process for highly qualified students. However, they have evolved into a strategy for prospective college students to increase their chances of acceptance to selective schools by applying early decision. By doing so, they commit their enrollment in advance to attend the early decision college once admitted.

Selective colleges accept a reported 25 to 40 percent of total students in the early admissions pool.

University of Wisconsin freshman Amy Kopolow was hoping for the odds to work in her favor during the early decision application process to Cornell University.

“A student who applies early is very passionate about the school they are applying to,” Kopolow said. “Due to the fact that it is a binding decision, the admissions committee knows off the bat that this is the student’s first choice among universities.”

Kopolow was initially deferred from Cornell, and then later granted the option of transferring her junior year.

Another option for high school students is applying early action, which allows more selection and alternatives in the college-shopping process. While the early action deadline is consistent with that of early decision, the student is not obligated to enroll if granted admission.

UW freshman Charlie Weiss applied early action to University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

“I wanted to improve my chances for acceptance,” Weiss said. “I also wanted to know early to allow me to have a carefree second semester.”

The difference between early decision and early action is the degree of commitment as well as the chance of acceptance. Admission consultants have seen a greater rate of acceptance by the early decision program.

College admissions consultants have said that these statistics are due to the fact that early candidates usually present the strongest records compared to regular candidates, not because of the time they applied.

Specifically, officials at Harvard and Brown University say that early applicants are admitted at a higher rate at these institutions because early applications have been the most deserving of admission.

In past years admissions office officials at Harvard University have denied that early admission applicants are given preference over those who apply by the regular deadline.

A soon-to-be-released book, “The Early Admissions Game: Joining the Elite” by Christopher Avery, Andrew Fairbanks and Richard Zeckhauser, discusses the controversy surrounding early admission programs by analyzing admissions data at top colleges.

The book states that early decision does benefit applicants due to acceptance rates over the past years. It presents the debate regarding whether early admissions programs predominately benefit applicants with a financial advantage.

Many officials see a need for reform within the early application programs. In turn, a number of universities have been abandoning these programs because they have been said to work in favor of students who are not concerned with financial aid offers.

Elite universities, such as UNC, eliminated the option of early admissions after determining that the system was working in favor of upper and upper middle class applicants.

In addition, UNC experienced a lack of diversity of students in the early applicant pool.

UNC received 82 percent of early applications from white candidates in 2000. Out of the total number of early applicants since 2000, a mere 25 percent have been admitted.

UNC attempted to make reforms to the system in 2000, but found their efforts proved unsuccessful and eradicated the program all together.

Yale University and Stanford University have followed suit and are removing similar admission programs.
Yale’s assistant admissions director Jennifer McTiernan H. said the 2002-03 school year would be the last time early decision would be offered.

“We are definitely getting rid of the early decision program after this year,” said McTiernan H. “This is sure to benefit all the students who apply.”

The schools mentioned are hopeful that competing universities will do the same. The reform raises concern that this change will lower the number of applicants to their universities if other selective colleges continue early admissions programs.

While early decision candidates can increase a school’s acceptance and graduation rate, reformers find it to be an inappropriate reason for implementing such a program.

More common among eastern private colleges, an early admission program has not been adopted by UW.

UW associate director of admissions Keith White personally feels that early decision puts tremendous pressure on prospective students.

He thinks very few high school seniors are certain of their college choice in the beginning of the year, pressuring them to rush into commitments far too soon.

White has heard students, who are under the impression that early admission is the only way to get into college, say, “I know I want to apply early, but I don’t know where.”

He finds it necessary to take the time that regular decision allows to make a sound decision that coincides with the student’s best intentions.

White also made note that the admissions process at UW is similar to early action because they review applications on a rolling basis. The sooner the application is received, the more timely the acceptance is awarded.

“Rolling admissions works to the benefit of the candidate,” White said.

White refers to the early admissions program as “enrollment management mania.”