Applying to college is often equal parts stressful and intimidating. It’s completely understandable for parents and their students to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of universities, the intricacies of the application process, and the best strategy for getting into a dream school. Amid all of these stressors, one question typically looms larger than the others: Will your student be applying Early Decision to someplace on their school list?
If your student’s absolute, no-questions-about-it dream school is a reach for them, applying Early Decision is a smart strategic decision. Especially among competitive schools, Early Decision drastically increases the likelihood of a student being admitted. Below are a few schools where applying Early Decision—at minimum—triples the likelihood of a student being admitted.
A Quick Refresher on Early Decision
Put as simply as possible, applying Early Decision means a student’s application is due earlier, they receive a decision sooner, and (most importantly) it represents a commitment to attend that school. While not legally binding, students are expected to withdraw their applications to other schools if they are accepted through Early Decision. Your student should be sure that the university (and it can only be one university) they are applying to is the one they most want to attend.
And, as a final word of caution, consider whether or not the university your student applies Early Decision to is one your family can afford. If your student is uncomfortable taking out loans, and if they will require significant scholarship funds to afford the school, it may be worth applying Early Action instead.
Tulane University
One of the most selective universities in the country, Tulane University has been a dream school for past participants in The Enrichery’s College Admissions Workshop. It’s easy to understand why. On top of being one of the seven schools referred to as the “Southern Ivy League,” Tulane boasts one of the best undergraduate experiences in the country—and the highest boost to admissions likelihood if your student applies Early Decision.
Regular Decision Admissions Rate: 3%
Early Decision Admissions Rate: 68%
Dartmouth College
An Ivy League school needs no introduction. We know the education is excellent; we also know it is incredibly competitive to get admitted. Applying Early Admission to any of the Ivy League schools increases an applicant’s chance of acceptance, but the largest boost in admissions rate is at Dartmouth College–currently ranked as the 15th best university in the country.
Regular Decision Admissions Rate: 4%
Early Decision Admissions Rate: 17%
Washington University in St. Louis
Not far behind Dartmouth in the U.S. News & World Report rankings is Washington University in St. Louis. Tied for 21st in the national rankings and 18th for best value schools, WashU also has a no-loan financial aid policy, meaning that all need-based loans are replaced with scholarships and university grants.
Regular Decision Admissions Rate: 10%
Early Decision Admissions Rate: 25%
Trinity University
Ranked as the best liberal arts college in Texas, Trinity University is also the highest-ranked university for merit-based aid in the country, making it an excellent consideration for Early Decision if your student has an impressive high school resume.
Regular Decision Admissions Rate: 12%
Early Decision Admissions Rate: 54%
While applying Early Decision isn’t the best option in all circumstances, it often is a wise decision when a student knows which school they want to attend—especially if that college or university is highly selective.
To be clear, the list above is not comprehensive. Early Decision—by design—increases your student’s chances of being admitted wherever it is offered. As such, it is an invaluable tool to get your student accepted to their dream school (or the most selective school on their list if they like every university equally well.) If you or your student would like expert guidance on leveraging Early Decision, consider enrolling in our summer College Admissions Workshop. We’ll work together to ensure the entire application package is ready well before senior year begins, positioning your student for a strong start in the admissions process!
