Any disadvantage to using "priority" application offers? - Page 5

JerseyShoreMom · 09-26-2008, 10:20 AM

D received various fee and essay waivers. Since we have a pretty good list of schools, we didn't bother with the ones not on her list and concentrated on the two offers from Drexel and St. Johns

edukation · 09-26-2008, 08:51 PM

Early apps are great! I have already been accepted to 4 schools and it is still September!!

Jolynne Smyth · 09-27-2008, 07:36 AM

I just started hearing about 'early action' (non-binding). Does anyone know whether -- generally -- applying for early action increases your likelihood of acceptance, decreases it or has no effect?

If it's not binding, I'm not sure why everyone doesn't do it for schools they like....will go through son's schools he hasn't sent in apps for & see if any have it.

Btw, that's great, edukation. Do you know where you'd like to go?

my-3-sons · 09-27-2008, 09:43 AM

Jolynne-From my experience with 3 kids, generally EA acceptance rates are higher than RD, but not in all cases. Part of this could be attributed to the fact that the more organized, higher stat kids are likely to be the ones to get their apps together early, but lots of schools like to fill a good part of their classes from the early rounds. You really need to check each individual school and USNews premium does breakdown the different decision rounds' numbers. Go to the school's listing, then admissions, then entering student's stats to find the info. My kids did apply EA to all their schools that offered it except BC which at the time had a much lower EA admission rate than RD.

Jolynne Smyth · 09-27-2008, 11:22 AM

Thanks, my-3-sons! I'll just go on all the websites and check. Too bad son has put in 12 apps already (his top schools at the front-end of that batch). We were trying to get the 'app-in-early' advantage---didn't think to check about formal EA! Will look for the last 4 schools..

Debruns · 09-27-2008, 01:11 PM

I know in the schools my son chose to EA, you automatically went into the RD pool if they didn't take you. Many of them get admitted later. Does anyone know of a college that doesn't do that?

blackeyedsusan · 09-27-2008, 03:00 PM

debruns -- Stanford is a SCEA school that denies many more applicants than they defer to the RD round.

northeastmom · 09-27-2008, 03:14 PM

Jolynne, I don't think that it is too late. If your son sees that a school offers EA and he would like to participate, he could just contact his admission's officer by email, letter, or phone, and tell them that he did not realize that EA was an option, and he would like his submitted application to be considered in the EA round. JMO. My son applied EA to every school that offered it, and he was deferred to the RD round at 2 schools. He was accepted to both of those schools during the RD round (one was a public, one was a private that they ended up offering a very nice merit scholarship). My son applied to one school that offered a "modified EA" and his acceptance came in earlier than expected. I don't remember what the modified EA actually meant, but I know that my son had no idea that the school even offered this (in other words his app. was put into their EA round even though he applied RD).

Debruns · 09-27-2008, 03:27 PM

I know Tulane and Fordham took later EA's when my son was applying, but I'm sure others did too. It can't hurt to try! I would think the more selective the school, the more they defer, but many good schools will take it as interest and it is good to know some early. I also found that when admitted EA, in our case, although we didn't get FA too much earlier, we were invited to things for EA applicants, sent more mailings, letters, etc.

Jolynne Smyth · 09-28-2008, 07:39 AM

Thanks, northeastmom! Glad to know that it just doesn't mean a quicker rejection--that student could then move to the regular decision list. Of course, early acceptance would be great!

Debruns--sounds good; you're right, it can't hurt to try!

One quick EA question---do schools that offer EA admission to a particular student require that student to say yes or no earlier? Son has applied to a whole bunch of schools...if he got EA acceptance at one, not sure he'd want to give up the chance to possibly attend others...

Thanks for any thoughts!

my-3-sons · 09-28-2008, 08:20 AM

^^^No, decision date stays at May 1st, that's the beauty of it.

Jolynne Smyth · 09-28-2008, 08:52 AM

Wow, my-3-sons---it's a no-lose for the applicant!! Am going through son's college list now. Found one, at least, that has early action! (& he hasn't applied there yet, yay!).

Debruns · 09-28-2008, 09:03 AM

Jolynne, it really is a nice thing. My son's GC said it was procrastination that made a lot of students not take advantage of it. I admit, I nagged a bit, but he did the work and I wish he had done more.

northeastmom · 09-28-2008, 09:07 AM

Jolynne, you could get rejected in the EA round, but if your stats are in the ballpark, from what I have seen, you are more likely to placed into the RD round if the school is not ready to accept you in the EA round.

Don't forget that your FA package probably won't arrive until close to 4/1 so the student applying for FA will need to wait to see if they could afford to attend. Merit aid often comes with the acceptance letter of shortly after the letter of acceptance.

Jolynne Smyth · 09-28-2008, 11:08 AM

northeastmom...um....so, do you think that if a kid's stats are average (say, ACT well above mid-range for the school, but gpa low-mid-range) that it would be better not to risk the early admission? In son's case we are trying to get every admission 'tip'--less concerned about relieving the pressure of having an acceptance early in the bag. Thanks for your perspective..! :-)

Son didn't submit the early action app yet (going to do it today). We can still change it back to regular decision....