Tell me about your Early Decision Success Story

[Anonymous]

College application fever is just starting up in hour household. Issue on the table now is Early Decision or not, for a clear (but not unrealistic) reach school. Please tell me about your ED experience, especially the ones with a happy ending.

[Anonymous]

DC did early decision. The school was an extreme reach and I argued with DC about using that ED boost strategically, at some school that was a reach but not extremely so. My feeling was, nobody thinks that applying ED to Harvard (not the school in question here) is going to work miracles, and DC's chances at this extreme reach were sort of of the same order. DC wouldn't be dissuaded. So, with a sinking feeling, and the comfort that DC could still do regular decision at other schools, I let DC do ED at the extreme reach. It turned out well, DC hasn't had even a moment of second guessing, but given that DC just started classes this week it's too early to opine on whether this particular college is a good fit or not.

Here's one recommendation. Fill out some non-binding early actions at some safeties - safeties you actually like - in October or November. Then if the ED decision is a rejection, things won't look quite so bleak because you know some colleges love you. There are a bunch of schools, like St. Mary's and Northeastern, that take the common app and don't require much in the way of supplemental essays. So that if you've filled out the Common App for the ED college, this isn't much additional work. These will give you a non-binding decision by December maybe even a gratifying offer of merit aid.

Here are some thoughts.

PROs:
1. It's all over in December!
2. Miracles can happen - DC's experience.
3. Conventional wisdom is, use ED for a school if you can't see yourself anywhere but at that school. That's what DC kept arguing back at me. If the school is really your one and only, ED will give you your best shot at it.

CONs:
1. ED isn't a guaranteed miracle. We know wonderful kids who were rejected or deferred in the ED process.
2. If you get rejected or deferred in ED, then you have to finalize those other applications during your holidays, thinking all the time that your first choice rejected you.
3. With ED you can't compare FA or merit awards. We knew DC wouldn't qualify for FA, but we're not so well off that we didn't flinch at giving up the opportunity to compare merit awards.
4. I suspect that schools offer less merit aid to ED acceptees, because they know they've locked you in, than to regular decision candidates. Although I have no proof. This doesn't apply to Ivies, none of which do merit awards.
5. The usual concerns about second guessing - is this really the right school for me?

[Anonymous]

There's another thread in which someone posted that the ED students actually get better aid packages because they are decided in the beginning when the pie is still big.

DC wants to apply ED to a school he really wants to attend thats a bit of a reach but EA to a school on his list, though not necessarily at the top, just so he can have something if the ED school rejects him.

[Anonymous]

I applied early decision to a school that was somewhat of a reach. GPA-wise, my college counselor was not convinced I would get in and warned me to not get my hopes up too much. I absolutely fell in love with it and knew it was the right place after visiting. The school I went to was a small liberal arts college with very strong academics and an intellectual atmosphere. They stressed fit of the student in the culture of the school over GPA and test scores--they wanted students who were self-directed, curious about learning, and really wanted to be there.

Anyway, I never regretted going there and it was actually a relief to have all that college stuff sorted out in December. I filled out other applications just in case I didn't get in--everything except the application fee (I wanted to get all my application stuff done in the early fall before school picked up), but I ended up withdrawing them. I went on to have a fantastic four years.

Later on, since it was a small community, I met the guy who had been working in the admissions office who reviewed my application. He said that through my essays, he could tell that the school was a good fit and that I had strong writing skills and a sense of curiosity. He was an alumnus who took that job as a brief gig before going to law school, and since I applied ED and got my application way before the deadline, my application was the first one he reviewed, and he was extra invested in making sure I got in.

[Anonymous]

I applied early decision to a school that was somewhat of a reach. GPA-wise, my college counselor was not convinced I would get in and warned me to not get my hopes up too much. I absolutely fell in love with it and knew it was the right place after visiting. The school I went to was a small liberal arts college with very strong academics and an intellectual atmosphere. They stressed fit of the student in the culture of the school over GPA and test scores--they wanted students who were self-directed, curious about learning, and really wanted to be there.

Anyway, I never regretted going there and it was actually a relief to have all that college stuff sorted out in December. I filled out other applications just in case I didn't get in--everything except the application fee (I wanted to get all my application stuff done in the early fall before school picked up), but I ended up withdrawing them. I went on to have a fantastic four years.

Later on, since it was a small community, I met the guy who had been working in the admissions office who reviewed my application. He said that through my essays, he could tell that the school was a good fit and that I had strong writing skills and a sense of curiosity. He was an alumnus who took that job as a brief gig before going to law school, and since I applied ED and got my application way before the deadline, my application was the first one he reviewed, and he was extra invested in making sure I got in.

[Anonymous]

Great replies. If the names of the schools could be included in future posts, I know readers like me (similarly situated) would be curious.

Thanks (and good luck to all those other similarly situated families)

[Anonymous]

DD really wanted W&M, we thought it would be a great fit and a stretch, but before Christmas she knew she got in. What a present. She happily withdrew her two other early action apps and she was done.