Ask Yourself These 4 Questions Before You Apply Early Decision

Some schools have higher acceptance rates for early applicants, but the binding agreement isn't right for everyone.

While early action has few drawbacks, early decision should only be used when a student is 100 percent sure of his or her first choice school.

By Bradford HolmesSept. 21, 2015 | 9:00 a.m. EDT+ More

​Colleges typically offer two early admissions options – early action, in which students receive a nonbinding offer of admission, and early decision, in which students, if accepted, must attend thecollege in question.

While one can argue that there are few drawbacks to early action, early decision (or ED, for short) is another matter. Students who are considering applying ED to a school should weigh a number of questions very carefully before deciding on this path. While applying early decision can open doors that may otherwise have been difficult to enter, its binding nature also closes a number of other doors if you are admitted. Here are four important questions to ask yourself before applying to a college ED:

[Here are four financial aid facts early decision applications should know.]

1. Is there a significant statistical advantage to applying ED?

At certain schools, there is a considerably higher rate of acceptance for students who apply early. However, this can vary widely by institution, with some colleges reporting exceptionally large differences, and others reporting differences of only several percentage points.

A student who applies to a school via early action or early decision may thus have a better chance of admission than a comparable student who applies during regular admissions. Whether ED programs offer a distinct advantage over early action is less clear. Colleges may not have both ED and early action, and the different admissions rates cannot necessarily be compared as a result.

[Check out three reasons to apply early action to college.]

2. Would a midyear addition to your application such as a completed internship or first semester grades enhance your overall profile?

If your answer to this question is yes, then it is perhaps best to avoid early decision applications. Think of it this way – early decision may provide you with an admissions advantage, but so too will a strong addition to your application.

The ideal time to apply early decision is when you are 100 percent certain that a particular school is your first choice college and when your admissions profile is polished and complete. If the second semester of your senior year will bring you a leadership position in an extracurricular, or a rare service learning opportunity, opt for regular admissions.

3. Have you thoroughly vetted the school, including sitting in on a class and staying on campus overnight?

If your answer to this question is no, set aside your early decision application for now. If you are able to do so, spend several days or a weekend on campus before you commit the next four years of your life to the school.

Will you be happy in the dorms or the available off-campus housing? Is the surrounding town large or small enough for you? Do you enjoy the structure of an average class in your major? Once you answer these and other questions, you can decide on the best admissions strategy for you.

[Answer this quiz and find out where you should start the college process.]

4. Do you often second-guess​ your decisions or wish that you had taken more time to think through a matter?

If your answer to this question is yes, then you should almost certainly avoid early decision. It can be tempting to move past the stresses of the college search by rushing the process, but unless you are fully secure in your choice, you may change your mind in December, March or June with no easy solution.

Take a moment to consider your most recent important decision. How often did you change your mind? Was it an anxiety-provoking process, or did you move too quickly toward a solution?

Applying early decision to college is a double-edged sword. While it may make you happier in the short term, unless you have thoroughly researched your top choice and have no doubt that it is where you wish to enroll, you may regret your lack of choice come spring. If you know that further thought and further research will aid you, think twice before submitting an early decision application.

1. Opus Scholarship Program – Full-Tuition · High School senior entering the Opus College of Engineering · Must be the first generation in the family to attend college · Demonstrated financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid · Priority will be given to students who have participated in organizations that serve low-income youth, such as the Cristo Rey Network and Boy & Girls Clubs · This scholarship is renewable for each of the recipient’s four-year (eight semester) undergraduate program, provided that the student remains in good academic standing within the Opus College of Engineering · This award based on both academic merit and financial need 

2. Goizueta Foundation Scholarships – Half-Tuition · Hispanic/Latino Heritage · Demonstrated financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid · This scholarship is renewable for each of the recipient’s four-year (eight semester) undergraduate program, provided that the student remains in good academic standing 

3. Nancy Long Pesiri Scholarship - $19,500 · Admitted to the College of Nursing for fall of 2016 · Minimum 3.0 GPA (on an unwieghted 4.0 scale) in all college-preparatory courses · Demonstrated leadership and commitment to service in curricular and extracurricular activities · Demonstrated financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) · Special consideration will be given to meritorious, underrepresented students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds · This scholarship is renewable for each of the recipient’s four-year (eight semester) undergraduate program, provided that the recipient remains a student in the College of Nursing an maintains a 3.0 GPA 

4. J. William and Mary Diederich Scholarship - $8,000 · High School seniors entering the Diederich College of Communication · Demonstrated leadership in curricular and extracurricular activities · Interview required for semifinalists · Students must also meet two of the following: high school rank at or near top of 10 percent (when applicable), ACT composite of 28, SAT composite of 1200 (math and verbal) and minimum 3.5 GPA (on a 4.0, unweight scale) in all college-preparatory courses · This scholarship is renewable for each of the recipient’s four-year (eight semester) undergraduate program, provided that the recipient remains a student in the Diederich College of Communication an maintains a 3.0 GPA.

5. James Foley Scholarship - $8,000 · High School seniors entering the Diederich College of Communication · Participation in community service, volunteerism, social justice, or the like · This scholarship is renewable for each of the recipient’s four-year (eight semester) undergraduate program, provided that the recipient remains a student in the Diederich College of Communication an maintains a 2.5 GPA.

 6. The Explorer Scholarship - $5,000 · This scholarship is presented to high school seniors whose pursuit of exploration and self-discovery led them to consider Marquette from areas outside the Midwest. · This scholarship is renewable for each of the recipient’s four-year (eight semester) undergraduate program.

In the world of social media, tweets, Facebook, Vine... it’s easy to forget that colleges often keep track of their schools’ social media mentions. Check out this interesting article, posted by the New York Times regarding your college applications...

Your College Counseling Team

They Loved Your G.P.A. Then They Saw Your Tweets.

John-Patrick Thomas

By NATASHA SINGER

At Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Me., admissions officers are still talking about the high school senior who attended a campus information session last year for prospective students. Throughout the presentation, she apparently posted disparaging comments on Twitter about her fellow attendees, repeatedly using a common expletive.

Perhaps she hadn’t realized that colleges keep track of their social media mentions. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/business/they-loved-your-gpa-then-they-saw-your-tweets.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

You’ll never forget your summer with Notre Dame.

It happens when you first set foot on campus, engage in intellectually stimulating classes, and throw yourself into nearly two centuries worth of academic, social, and spiritual tradition. It happens when you enroll in one of our three pre-college programs.

As a Summer Scholar or a participant in the Notre Dame Leadership Seminars, you'll have access to the Grotto, the Golden Dome, the hallowed halls. Or if you go abroad with us to Rome in our Study Abroad program, you'll have access to the riches of the Eternal City. You’ll spend a summer living, learning, and serving as a Notre Dame student. You’ll spend a summer preparing to lead a life for the greater good.

Are you ready?

visit: http://precollege.nd.edu/

Trouble viewing this email? View it online.

Dear Grace, Siena’s live video chats are a convenient, fun way for your students to learn more about us. All they have to do is RSVP, then watch right from their computers. They can submit a question, or just listen in. Here’s what’s coming up. Feel free to share this information and RSVP link with them—if they register, we’ll remind them as the event gets closer. ASK ADMISSIONS ANYTHING Tuesday, October 27, 2015 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Katie Szalda, director of admissions, will be chatting about our application process, merit scholarships, tips to ace your essay, being undeclared at Siena and a lot more. Next up will be our financial aid chat on December 8, which students can register for at the same link above. As always, thank you for your help! Sincerely, Ned, Katie, Jen, Katie, Paul, Dale, Nikki, Marie, Charlieann, Colin, Eric, Jim and Sean Siena College Office of Admissions

Seniors: Transcript Request Procedures

To request a transcript (student):

1. Pick up a Transcript Request Form from the Guidance and College Counseling Office.
2. Complete one form for each college.
3. Return all forms to Mrs. Martineau, along with transcript fee, 2 weeks in advance of the college application deadline.

Your Transcript request will be complete after you submit your fee and paper request to Ms. Martineau.

**Students should go through the same steps when requesting transcripts for scholarships and NCAA Clearinghouse**

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Before You Apply

Most articles on the college admission process focus on applying or getting in to college, and that’s unfortunate. Applying to college is the last of three stages in a thoughtful college search, and what happens during the self-evaluation or research stages is ultimately far more important in finding the right college fit.

Two things you need to know before applying:

1. Know yourself.
2. Know the landscape.

Know Yourself

The college search is a journey of self-discovery and the journey is more important than the destination. The college process is an opportunity to make decisions about your future, and that is something you should be excited about and ready for! The better you understand yourself, your unique strengths and the things you care about, the easier it will be to identify colleges that fit you. Take some time to think:

• What are your academic interests? What courses have you enjoyed the most?
• How do you learn best? Is there a type of teaching style you particularly enjoy?
• Which of your extracurricular interests means most to you? Why?
• What accomplishment are you proudest of? Why?
• How would your friends and teachers describe you and your role in the school community?
• How has the environment in which you’ve grown up helped/hindered you?
• What balance of study, activities and social life suits you best? How well do you respond to academic pressure and competition?
• How would you feel about going to a college where other students were very different from you? Would you find it exciting or intimidating?
• If you had a year to go anywhere and do whatever you wanted, how would you spend that year? 

Know the Landscape

There are more than 3,000 colleges (two- and four-year) in the US. Every one of them is right for someone and every one of them is wrong for someone. What makes a place right or wrong depends on the fit between its culture and personality and your wants and needs. Every college also has its own unique personality that influences fit. Take some time to think:

• Do you prefer a large university or a small liberal-arts college?
• Would you be comfortable in large lecture classes, or is it important to be known by your professors?
• Do you want to know most of the other students on campus, or do you prefer some anonymity?
• Do you want to stay close to home, able to see family and friends on a regular basis, or do you want to experience a different part of the country?
• Do you prefer to be close to a city, in a “college town” where the college or university is the major employer and source of culture, or at a rustic campus separated from civilization?
• Will you be more comfortable in a school where most of the students are interested in ideas and learning, a school where most students are grade-conscious and work hard, or a school where students do enough to get by and are primarily interested in having a good time?
• Do you want a school that is politically conservative? Politically correct? Politically apathetic?
• Do you want a college or university where most students live on campus, or do you want the freedom to live in an apartment off-campus after your freshman year?
• How important to your college experience is varsity athletics? How important are fraternities and sororities?
• Would you rather attend a college where you are fortunate to be admitted, where your credentials place you in the middle of the student body, or where your credentials qualify you for honors programs or merit scholarships?

Answering these questions should not be easy—most of the worthwhile things in life aren’t easy. There are no right or wrong answers, and it is important to answer honestly rather than giving the answers you think your parents, friends and teachers want to hear. The more you know who you are and what you value, the easier it will be to decide where to apply and what to communicate through your application.

Jim Jump, NACAC 2010 Past President