Early decision is a consequential choice for students applying to college, as they can only do so at one institution and must promise to attend if accepted before knowing the financial aid offer. This means there is a chance an applicant may be responsible for the full cost, which can be significant, such as $86,886 for the 2024-25 year at Duke University. While students cannot be legally compelled to attend if they cannot afford it, by the time they receive the news, they would have already withdrawn their other applications. However, for some families, the potential rewards of early decision, such as higher acceptance rates, outweigh the risks.
This year, there were over 54,000 high school seniors competing for only 1,750 spots in Duke University’s incoming class, with 6,000 applying in the early decision round having a three times higher chance of acceptance compared to the 48,000 who applied later. Early decision used to be a narrow pathway governed by rules set out by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) until a settlement with the Justice Department led to the abolition of several rules and the downgrade of others to voluntary guidelines. This change allowed colleges to engage in more aggressive recruitment practices, including offering special incentives to students and poaching students from other schools.
Following the settlement, colleges had more freedom to utilize early decision as a strategy to secure students early without making specific commitments about financial aid. For example, Middlebury College enrolled 516 out of 735 first-year students through binding early decision. Some schools even have multiple rounds of early decision, as well as various other application pathways with different terms and conditions. This shift in the landscape of college admissions has allowed colleges to be more aggressive in their recruitment efforts, particularly through early decision.
The changes in the rules governing college admissions allowed colleges to compete more freely and aggressively for students, ultimately leading to a rise in the use of early decision as a recruitment strategy. This strategy enables colleges to secure a large number of students early on, without having to commit to financial aid packages. The increased competitiveness and opportunities for colleges to attract students through various admissions pathways have changed the dynamic of the college admissions process significantly.
With the ability to offer special incentives and benefits to students, colleges have become more aggressive in their recruitment practices, including poaching students from other schools and engaging in early decision as a way to secure commitments from applicants. The freedom provided by the settlement between NACAC and the Justice Department has allowed colleges to take advantage of various recruitment strategies, including early decision, to attract the best students to their institutions.
Overall, the changes in the rules governing college admissions have led to colleges adopting more aggressive recruitment strategies, with early decision being a prominent pathway for securing commitments from students. This shift has changed the dynamic of the college admissions process, allowing colleges to compete more freely for students and potentially leading to increased competition and pressure on students to make important decisions earlier in the process.
