everything you need to know about applying early to college

Danielle Bianchi Golod

2010-2011

Everything You

Need to Know About

Applying Early to

College

A guide for students and parents

For the Personal Statement Blueprint

Copyright ©2010 Danielle Bianchi Golod www.daniellebianchi.com 1

Foreward

This Guide is meant to help students and their parents better understand the

confusing lingo of the college admissions offices, what the different

application options are, who they may help, and why. While I have made

every effort to include all of the pertinent information regarding early

admission options, please note that you need to verify that you are

following the correct procedures at all schools to which you apply.

How to Use This Guide

The beginning of the guide contains a glossary where you will find the most

common early application options and their definitions. (Please note these

are for the 2010-2011 application season…they never seem to stop

changing).

Each term is then explained in more detail in a later section. I then focus on

how this option may be important to you and why. If there are popular

schools that use a particular option, I may focus on the nuances of their

approach…as just about every school’s admissions office has its own way of

doing things…which is why you need to check and verify that you are

following the correct procedure at each and every college that will receive an

application from you.


Contents

Foreward ............................................................................................. 1

How to Use This Guide ........................................................................ 1

Glossary .............................................................................................. 4

Regular Admission / Regular Decision (RD): .......................................... 4

Early Action (EA): .............................................................................. 4

Restrictive/ Restricted/Single Choice Early Action (REA): ........................ 4

Early Decision (ED): ........................................................................... 4

Rolling Decision: ................................................................................ 5

Pooling Admission Process: ................................................................. 5

Regular Admission Process .................................................................... 6

What Does It Mean? ........................................................................ 6

Why is it important to you? ............................................................... 6

Early Action ......................................................................................... 8

What Does It Mean? ........................................................................ 8

Why is it important to you? ............................................................... 8

Restrictive Early Action ........................................................................ 10

What Does It Mean? ...................................................................... 10

Why is it important to you? ............................................................. 10

Yale: .............................................................................................. 11

Stanford: ........................................................................................ 11


Boston College: ............................................................................... 11

Early Decision: ................................................................................... 12

What Does It Mean? ...................................................................... 12


Rolling Admission ............................................................................... 13

What Does It Mean? ...................................................................... 13


“Pooling Admission Process” ................................................................. 14

What Does It Mean? ...................................................................... 14


Supplements? Early Supplements? ...................................................... 15

What does it mean? ....................................................................... 15


Some Earlier Applications to Consider ................................................... 17

About the Author ................................................................................ 18


Glossary

Regular Admission / Regular Decision (RD):

Every college/university in the United States has a regular admission due

date by which the application must be submitted. The most common due

date is January 1st, but may be different.

Early Action (EA):

Students can submit applications at an earlier date, and if accepted for Early

Action (EA), the decision they make (should they decide to accept) is non-

binding. To make things more confusing, some schools offer two Early

Action deadline dates. For most schools, the Early Action (EA) deadline is

November 1st or 15th.

Restrictive/ Restricted/Single Choice Early Action (REA):

Allows students to apply to only one early action school (Boston College is

an exception) and prohibits applying to any school via early decision.

Deadlines are usually November 1st or 15th. Please refer to Yale, Stanford, &

Boston College on the following page. REA affords the student the ability to

review financial aid packages offered at other institutions.

Early Decision (ED):

Is a binding commitment to enroll in the college/university. If accepted, the

student must attend and withdraw any other applications that are

outstanding. There are many restrictions involved with Early Decision

including a binding contract, non-refundable fees, and other paperwork.


Early Decision I & II refer to different due dates for Early Decision. The 1st

usually refers to a November 1st or 15th deadline and the latter refers to the

regular admission application deadline. These plans are made available so

students can explore financial aid options.

Rolling Decision:

Is a first-come-first-served type of process; students can apply after the

“open” date up until the regular admission application deadline. Decisions

are generally made within 30 to 45 days of receipt of the application.

Pooling Admission Process:

Describes a process some larger public universities use to attract early

applications. While these schools accept applications earlier than most, the

decisions are made after the regular admission application deadline has

passed. In other words, there is no real benefit to the student other than

“crossing one off the list.”


Regular Admission Process

What Does It Mean?

Every school in the US has a standard application due date. Admission

applications must be submitted prior to this date. You will need to fill out

the online application and supplements by (the most common due date)

January 1st. Colleges require the application and supplement(s), the

application fee, the teacher recommendations, the counselor

recommendations and transcripts, and any “extra” recommendations to be

submitted by this date.

Why is it important to you?

If you don’t have your heart set on a particular school and you need time to

research other colleges/universities…then applying under regular admission

is likely for you.

Is Your GPA on the rise?

If you seem to have an upward trend in your grades continuing through the

1st semester of your senior year, then applying under the regular admission

date is best. Most colleges are likely to review 7 semesters of grades

(instead of 6 through junior year which happens with early admission plans).

Do you need to take Fall SAT/ACT/Subject Tests?

If you plan to take the November, December, and/or January standardized

tests during your senior year, then applying under regular admission is best.

Currently, students can take as many SAT’s or ACT’s as they want and

choose which scores they would like sent to their schools. Early Action/Early

Decision schools will usually only accept test scores through the October test


dates. If you realize a little late in the game that you need subject tests for

a certain school on your list…then apply regular admission and give yourself

the extra time to take a couple more tests.


Early Action

What Does It Mean?

All schools have the regular admission date, but many schools (public and

private) also offer you the chance to apply early to their school.


There are many benefits to applying early action—it’s non-binding (you don’t

have to go if you get in), and you can apply early to many schools

simultaneously. The early action process may be a great option for you if:

a. You’ve finished your standardized testing by Oct (EA rule for

most colleges)

b. You don’t feel your GPA is steadily increasing (end of junior year

and 1st semester of senior year). In the Early Action option, the

college will only see your grades through junior year.

c. You’re an athlete or have a talent that you think schools would

like to see. (Please note, most competitive athletes, musicians,

artists, etc. apply early to schools, so you may be competing

against a more challenging group of students by applying early

action).

d. You’d like to know early whether or not you got accepted.

Colleges that give you the option to apply early will usually get

back to you in 30-45 days after the early action due date (i.e. if

your early action due date is Nov 1st, many schools will give

their response on Dec 1st or Dec 15th). Some early notification


schools like U of Oregon and CU-Boulder will accept applications

far before the app due date and respond within 30-60 days.

Note: Harvard, Princeton, UVA, & Wake Forest dropped early

admission processes.

Some examples of schools with EA plans: Fordham, MIT, Cal

Tech, U Chicago, Georgetown, Villanova, Notre Dame, U

Michigan, Loyola Marymount U, U of San Diego.


Restrictive Early Action

What Does It Mean?

Restrictive Early Action is a non-binding admission option for students who

believe that one school is their first choice school. Think of it as Yale calls it,

a “single choice early action school.” The main benefit to the REA plan is

that you hear back within 30-45 days, yet don’t have to make a decision

until May 1st. This way you can explore your financial aid packages from

other institutions.


You should only apply REA if you KNOW that school is your 1st choice.

Candidates are evaluated on their high school record through their junior

year. ACT/SAT results through the October test dates are considered for

REA. Yale & Stanford recently switched from early decision to Restrictive

Early Action. Boston College uses REA with a little more leniency than the

other 2.

Rules for Admission Decisions under REA plans:

1. Applicant is admitted and has until May 1st to respond

2. Applicant is denied and cannot reapply for regular decision

admission until the following year

3. Applicant is deferred to Regular Decision, and will receive a

final decision by April 1st.

Description of 3 of the “big” schools with REA plans:


Yale:

Yale calls their REA plan “Single Choice Early Action” and will give the

applicant a response by mid-Dec. Candidates who are admitted early may

apply to other schools for Regular Decision. Yale will not allow the candidate

to apply simultaneously for Early Action/Early Decision plans at any other

school. Applying under Yale’s Single Choice Early Action, you will be asked

to sign a contract.

Stanford:

REA at Stanford is a non-binding admission option for students who know

Stanford is their first choice. Students will hear back by Dec 15th. At

Stanford, applicants agree not to apply to any other school under EA, REA,

ED…or Early Notification (other than public universities, rolling admissions,

and foreign universities).

Boston College:

A non-binding admission option for students. Response comes no later than

Dec 25th. Decisions will be mailed (not given by phone/email). Unlike Yale

& Stanford, students CAN apply to other early action schools…just not early

decision.


Early Decision:

What Does It Mean?

Early Decision (ED) is a binding commitment to enroll at a college/university.

If accepted, the applicant must attend and withdraw any other applications.

Many schools offer Early Decision I & II dates.


Your chances of getting accepted under Early Decision are statistically better

than applying under regular decision, however, you must KNOW that school

is your one and only choice of school.

Some examples of Early Decision schools: Columbia, U Penn,

Tufts, Syracuse, Pitzer College, Boston U, Brown

Examples of schools with Early Decision I & II: Colby, Conn

College, Lehigh, NYU, Vanderbilt, Claremont McKenna, St.

Lawrence U, Skidmore


Rolling Admission

What Does It Mean?

Students can apply to a school with a rolling admission plan right after the

“open” date and up until the application final deadline.


While some students find this process the least intimidating because they

can have months to get an application finished, it is wiser to get your

application in on the earlier side.

Decisions are generally made and communicated as applications

are received and assessed.

Apply early because you’ll hear back in about a month AND

because it’s run more on a first come first served basis.

Universities encourage their applicants to apply early as some

schools/departments with the university may close well before

the deadline.

Examples: U of Arizona (final due date May 1st), Oregon State U

(final due date Feb 1st)


“Pooling Admission Process”

What Does It Mean?

Similar to Rolling Admission in that you can apply after the “open date,”

however, decisions are not made quickly. Admission decisions are not made

until ALL applications have been received and assessed.


There are no real benefits except for getting your application in early and

checking a box off your to-do list.

The University of Washington is an example of a school with a “pooling

admission process.”


Supplements? Early Supplements?

What does it mean?

Some colleges (especially those on the Common Application) require an

extra form or “supplement” to be submitted along with the application. Most

supplements need to be submitted by the application deadline, but many art

and athletic supplements need to be submitted at an earlier due date. Each

school has a different supplement system. If you’re applying to a handful of

schools using the Common Application, then go to the “Applications and

Requirements” page for a full description of each school’s supplements.


There are 3 types of supplements which may pertain to you.

The School-Related Supplement: These are required

documents expected of each applicant. They are forms that ask

for your personal information and usually have 1 short essay

about why you want to attend that school and what major you

plan to pursue (see Supplemental Essay Blueprint, part of the

Personal Statement Blueprint

http://www.personalstatementblueprint.com/).

Art Supplement: This is an optional supplement. You may

submit an art supplement “if you’ve made a substantial

commitment of time and energy to one or more of the arts and

you wish to have that considered as part of your application.”

(www.commonapp.org) The art supplement pertains to music,

theater, dance, film, and visual arts.

http://www.personalstatementblueprint.com/

http://www.personalstatementblueprint.com/


The Athletic Supplement: This is an optional supplement to

be completed if you plan to participate in varsity athletics at that

school.


Some Earlier Applications to Consider

a. University of Arizona SALT Program

i. If you have a learning disability/difference and wish to

apply to U of Arizona’s SALT program, they start taking

applications on August 1st before your senior year starts.

Get your SALT & U of Arizona applications in early.

b. The University of California system

i. The UC application is ALWAYS due by 11/30. They accept

applications online from Nov 1-Nov 30. They will accept

Oct, Nov, Dec & sometimes Jan SAT/ACT scores from your

senior year.

c. The California State University system

i. The Cal State application is ALWAYS due by 11/30. They

also will accept applications online from Nov 1-Nov 30 and

will accept Oct, Nov, Dec & sometimes Jan SAT/ACT scores

from your senior year.

d. The University of North Carolina system is another large

public university system due on the earlier side (Dec 1st).

e. The University of Washington & The University of Georgia

i. Both these schools have a Dec 15th regular decision

deadline.


About the Author

Danielle Bianchi Golod has been helping students and their families navigate

the college admission process for over 10 years. In her own search, Danielle

was admitted to top-tier schools such as Princeton and Duke Universities

giving her firsthand knowledge of what it takes to succeed. While many

people focus on a school’s “ranking,” Danielle prides herself on finding the

right “fit” for each of her students.

Danielle currently resides with her family in beautiful Austin, TX. She has a

limited number of one-on-one students who she works with each year.

To learn more about Danielle, please visit her website at

www.daniellebianchi.com or email her at [email protected].

http://www.daniellebianchi.com/

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