College Admissions: Ivy League Less Elusive In Early Action/Decision
Monday, December 22, 2014
Over the last week, anxious high school seniors across the country received decisions from many of their Early Action and Early Decision colleges. And while admissions remain selective, it is clear the early bird catches the worm when it comes to elite admissions, with acceptance rates several times higher than during Regular Decision season.
The Breakdown
Brown accepted 20 percent of hopefuls in the Early Decision round for the class of 2019, reflecting a slight increase over last year when they accepted 19 percent of early applicants. Overall, Brown took roughly 9 percent of candidates last year. A college’s overall acceptance rate is a combination of Early Decision/Action rates and the Regular Decision rate—meaning that in many cases, the Regular Decision rates are starkly low.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTHarvard accepted 17 percent of Early Action candidates this month compared to 21 percent early last year. And Yale made offers to 16 percent of their Single Choice Early Action pool, which parallels last year’s numbers. Both Harvard and Yale accepted just 6% of applicants overall for the class of 2018.
UPenn sent out invitations to 24 percent of Early Decision candidates to join them for the class of 2019, making it marginally more selective than last year at 25 percent. Dartmouth had similar numbers with a 26 percent Early Decision rate this year vs. 28 percent last year.
Princeton accepted 20 percent of early applicants for the class of 2019, a few more students than for the class of 2018 when 18.5 percent were accepted early.
Outside of the Ivy League at other extremely selective colleges, MIT and Stanford took just 10 percent of their early hopefuls.
Important Factors
Although the numbers show that admission to the nation’s most selective universities appears easier during Early Action and Early Decision, it is prudent to note several important factors.
First, the early applicant pool can be laden with more competitive candidates, who typically complete their applications earlier.
Second, the acceptance rate contains recruited athletes who are being supported by coaches, and the children of professors and other staff members who are often given special consideration.
And finally, a number of legacy and VIP donor applicants also apply during early admission. Still, with numbers 4 and 5 times Regular Decision rates, early admission does yield advantages for students who are prepared and willing to take the plunge early.
Cristiana Quinn, M.Ed. is the founder of College Admission Advisors, LLC which provides strategic, individual counseling for college-bound students. http://www.collegeadvisorsonline.com.
Related Articles
- College Admissions: 6 Things To Do Before School Starts
- College Admissions: 4 Must Know Early Admission Terms
- College Admissions: 8 Things They Won’t Tell You in Freshman Orientation
- College Admissions: 5 Majors You Need to Choose Before You Apply
- College Admissions: 2014-2015 Common App Release
- College Admissions: 6 Tips for Adjusting to College Life
- College Admissions: The Real Danger in Being a High School Athlete
- College Admissions: 10 Western Colleges Worth the Trip This Summer
- College Admissions: 5 Things Rising Seniors Need To Do This Summer
- College Admissions: 6 Ways To Ace The College Interview
- College Admissions: Which New England Grads Make 6 Figures?
- College Admissions: 4 Tips For Overcoming ‘College Phobia’
- College Admissions: 4 Things To Do While Waiting For Early Admissions
- College Admissions: Early Apps Up for Class of 2019
- College Admissions: New England Colleges With the Biggest Rape Issues
- College Admissions: What Your PSAT Scores Really Mean
- College Admissions: Handling Early Admission Rejection
- College Admissions: 3 Ways to Build Application Credentials
- College Admissions: Top 10 College Admissions Websites
- College Admissions: 4 New England College Roadtrips
- College Admissions: 4 Fall Pennsylvania Roadtrips
- College Admissions: The 5 Most Unusual Colleges In The US
