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102502 Tough choices of early college commitment
by LAURA LEFKOWITZ
In the "good old days" - just over a decade ago - most college-hound seniors would apply to a variety of colleges and universities, wait to hear the decision and the offers front each school, and have time to sit back and compare their options. While the majority of college-bound students still practice this approach, there is a rising trend among high school seniors to apply early - especially seniors in affluent areas such as Westchester.
Early decision is a process in which high school seniors apply to one college by November and receive that school's decision by mid-December, rather than the usual process of applying in December and receiving notification in April. While it nice to "find out early," early decision creates a binding commitment for those students who are accepted. Early action is similar to early decision. The difference is that the agreement is not binding, and most schools with this option allow students to apply to other schools simultaneously.
A third, less common early application process is known as rolling admission, usually associated with large public universities like Penn State and Michigan State. This process allows students to apply at any time after August until the applicant pool is filled Students receive notification accordingly, which is non-binding and allows them to select from among the colleges that have accepted them.
Since the 1960's ratio decision and early action have been offered by only the most selective of schools. With more than 400 colleges and universities joining the bandwagon in the last decade, more schools are using this tactic to draw applicants. According to the College Board, in 2000 approximately 14 percent of the 1.2 million college bound seniors applied early in one form or another.
"Honestly, just about everyone I know is applying early" said Fox Lane senior Barbara Curra, who is taking advantage of early action.
Due to the It popularity of early acceptance, many universities and colleges report that such applicants now, are making up a third to a half of their admitted freshman class, Statistics also show that most of these schools look more favorably on early applicants and are less critical of their credentials than they are of those students who apply in the regular pool.
A lot of kids apply early to a selected school because they know it will increase their chances of getting in. They just want to get it out of the way and be able to sit back and enjoy their senior year, rather than stress out," admitted senior Ed Tostanoski, who Is currently planning on applying early decision. "At the same time, colleges know that if they get rid of early decision and early action, they will lose applicants, Then their (statistics) wont look as good, so most keep it "
Despite the benefits of applying early it is clearly not for everyone "Personally, I couldn't pick any, school that I really want to go to above the rest," Kate Civitello said, explaining her reason for not applying early. "But I have felt pressured and have sometimes felt like I should be applying early, even though I can't make up my mind. It seems like everyone else is applying early and that gives (those students) an advantage."
Even those who are declaring their first choice school through early decision acknowledge the stress their peers face who are undecided.
Some students see their friends applying early and they, too, feel pressured to commit themselves to one school, said senior Jake Markovits, who is staking the early decision commitment. "In such cases 'going early' may be the wrong decision, which ultimately could force students to attend a school they might not have opted for had they seen all their options."
(Laura LEFKOWITZ is a senior at Fox Lane HIGH .School.)