<p>The Washington Post of 11/27 had a piece on early action, including a focus on UVA and comments from Dean Roberts.</p>
<p>Excerpt:</p>
<p>The reversal reflects the remarkable popularity of early-admissions policies among applicants - and college admission officers - in an era when the collegiate sweepstakes is arguably more competitive and stressful than ever.</p>
<p>“For many students, we’re their top choice. And frankly, they don’t want to wait around,” said Greg Roberts, dean of admission at U-Va.</p>
<p>Higher education leaders expected a shift in the admissions landscape when three of the nation’s top national universities announced a retreat from early deadlines in 2006. Officials at the schools said they thought their programs favored the wealthy and well-prepared, and they invited other colleges to follow their lead.</p>
<p>Almost none did. Early admission endures at most of the selective public and private colleges in and around Washington. Early applications are up this fall for at least 10 schools in Washington, Maryland and Virginia. Applications are flat at a few institutions; no one is reporting a decline.</p>
<p>U-Va. ended its early-decision program after concluding it drew an inordinately privileged pool. Early-decision students pledge to attend one school and cannot compare other financial aid offers, a major drawback for disadvantaged students.</p>
<p>Of 200 low-income students who entered U-Va. in the final year of early decision, only one had applied early decision. “Those numbers were alarming to us,” Roberts said. </p>
<p>[As</a> U-Va. hopefuls show, early admissions applications more popular than ever](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/26/AR2010112603118.html]As”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/26/AR2010112603118.html)</p>