Whether or not to apply Early Decision is a difficult choice for a lot of people. While I’m generally more “pro-E.D.” than a lot of other advisors, that enthusiasm is tempered with a number of reservations. So let’s go over some of the reasons to apply Early Decision, and also some of the reasons not to. (Remember, E.D. is the “binding” early application process. You can read more about it, including why schools even offer E.D., here.)

Reasons to apply Early Decision

You will definitely go there if you are accepted. A lot of the times we overthink E.D. It doesn’t have to be your “dream school” or a place you’ve been researching for the past seven years. Applying Early Decision is essentially telling a university “If you accept me, then I will definitely enroll.” That’s it. So for a lot of high school students, the question really ought not be “will you apply E.D.?” but “to which school will you apply E.D.?” If you’ve been doing your homework, then it’s very likely you’ve found at least one school you’d definitely attend if accepted. You should consider E.D. for one of them.

You’re not too worried about the finances. The common perception of Early Decision is that it favors people who are wealthy enough that they can apply and commit to a school without receiving—or even expecting—a financial aid offer. And that perception is right. If you do happen to be lucky enough that your family doesn’t have to worry about the cost, then you’re certainly a great candidate to apply E.D. But you don’t necessarily have to be that wealthy. If you’re interested in a college, have used their net price calculator, and found it within your budget, then the risk you’re taking is not zero, but it’s small. If the net price calculator gives you a cost you can afford and the school has a policy of meeting full need, then the risk is even smaller. It helps to remember that E.D. means, at its core, that both you and the school agree you’re a great fit and you both want to close the deal early. If that’s the school’s attitude, then they’re motivated to give you the best financial aid deal they can. They’re not likely to screw you over. It’s a risk worth taking.

And what are you risking when you apply E.D. even thought you can’t afford the full price? If you end up unable to afford a college that accepts you E.D., then that’s grounds to ethically and legally walk away from the commitment. You shouldn’t take that lightly, and you shouldn’t apply E.D. unless you have a reasonable belief that you’re going to afford it with financial aid. But if it tuns out that you can’t, nobody is going to force you to go to that college and pay the bill. They’re not going to arrest you or sue you. As long as you’re applying to other schools that are more aligned with your budget, in case the E.D. school is untenable, then you can manage that risk.

You want a much easier spring. For many seniors, the spring semester is actually a lot more anxious than the fall. In the fall, you’re researching schools, filling out applications, and writing essays. That can be stressful, but it’s also still fairly abstract and in the future. In the spring, you have actual acceptances, actual financial aid offers, and have to make your final decision. Unless, of course, you apply to one school E.D., get accepted, and are done. That makes for an intensely easier spring.

You’re at risk of being undermatched. If you meet all these criteria:

* You’ll be a first-generation college student,

* You’re ranked in the top 20% of your high school graduating class,

* Your total family income is less than $60,000 per year, and

* You’re probably going to go to the local state college, or community college, because it’s more affordable,

then I hope you’ll do the following:

* Research the schools that are need-blind and meet full demonstrated need,

* Choose the one that seems the best fit for you, and

* Apply to that school Early Decision.

This is the academic equivalent of buying a lottery ticket. There’s very little chance that you’ll get accepted. Not because of who you are, but just because at these schools there’s very little chance of any applicant getting accepted—these places have crazy low acceptance rates. However, the cost to you is low. All it takes is filling out one extra application and sending it early. If you’re not accepted, or if you are but the finances still don’t work out, then the local state college you were planning on is still very available to you. But, like a winning lottery ticket, an acceptance can be life-altering in very positive ways. Do it.

You’re worried about Demonstrated Interest. To be clear, I don’t think you should worry about demonstrated interest. If you’re actually interested in a school, then you should certainly show your interest, even if they say they don’t consider demonstrated interest. Sign up for their mailing list; check their website regularly and follow them on social media; ask questions if you have them; visit if you can. But to make a game of it? To take actions just to get “points” and hope to increase your “odds”? It’s a waste of your time and a waste of theirs. Still, I get it that some people need to know they did everything they could to make their application as strong as possible, and they feel pressure to go out of their way to demonstrate interest. So please understand that applying Early Decision to a school that offers it is the ultimate demonstrated interest. It’s the one that counts the most. The whole reason they think about demonstrated interest is because they want to spend their time and resources on people who are actually likely to show up. They don’t want to waste time engaging people who are only playing games and trying to get as many acceptances as possible. So that’s why E.D. is a big deal to them—it shows them you really are interested in them over all the others and that you’re willing to commit. All the other things you do to show interest are marginal compared to applying E.D. So keep that in mind for perspective.

Reasons not to apply Early Decision

You’re not ready. A strong application that you’ve spent time on and sent for regular decision is always better than a sketchy application you haven’t spent enough time working on and send for Early Decision. Always.

You think it will increase your odds of getting in. You can look at a school’s acceptance rate for Early Decision applicants, see that it’s higher than the acceptance rate for regular applicants, and conclude that you have “better odds” of getting in if you apply E.D. It doesn’t really work this way. The acceptance rates are higher because the students who apply early tend to be the stronger students who have a strong desire to go that school and therefore put together good applications. The bonus of having you “locked in” early is also enticing them. But please, please, please remember: your application doesn’t magically get stronger just because you applied early. The schools say yes to a lot of E.D. applicants because they’re good applicants. If you’re not a good applicant, then they have no reason to accept you just because you asked early. They’ll get more applicants, and they have little incentive to give you a boost in your odds.

Fear Of Missing Out. If you like to keep all your options open until the very last minute, you can do that. You can apply to dozens of schools, and you don’t need to make a decision until May 1. If you think it may drive you nuts to get an E.D. acceptance and then have to withdraw your other applications knowing that you may also like those schools, then don’t do it. The point is to make things easier and calmer for you by limiting your options. If FOMO means you don’t want to limit your options, at least until May, and you will not be calmer by committing early, then skip the E.D. That’s ok.

Your top choice college doesn’t offer Early Decision. If your top choice college doesn’t offer E.D., then don’t apply to another school E.D. I think more people who don’t necessarily have a single “dream school” should pick one and apply E.D. anyway. But it doesn’t work the other way around. If you do have a strong top choice and Early Decision isn’t an option, don’t let go of that preference just to get the benefits of applying E.D. somewhere else.

You think it’s unfair and don’t want to participate. Because Early Decision does give an advantage to wealthier students who can feel more at ease making that kind of commitment, you may decide that it’s unjust and you don’t want to participate, even if you can afford it. That’s a tough call to make, but I’d be proud of you for making that call.

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Read these related posts: A revised plan to change college admissions; Learn from economists and apply early; What’s the right number of colleges to apply to?
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