I think Early Decision could be described as the best of times and the worst of times. I won't get on my soap box here about all of the angst that this policy creates in the admissions process for families and students.
I had FOUR discussions with students today about ED and the question everyone wants to know is: Will applying Early Decision to a college help me get in? The answer: maybe. In my experience, Early Decision usually will not help you get into one of the highly selective "reach" schools on your list if you are not in the range of students who are typically admitted to that college (note that I said "usually" - sometimes this does work.) However, Early Decision may enhance your chances of getting into a school that is a great match for you (you have the GPA, scores, and strength of program similar to students who have been admitted in the past), but the college is so darn competitive in the Regular Decision process that all bets are off.
If you are confused, maybe this piece from The Daily Beast will help. I'm not sure how long the link will work, but the article, Top 20 Colleges Which Love Early Decision Applicants, breaks down the ED and RD acceptance rates at 20 schools. Thanks to the mom of one my seniors for sending this along!
http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2011/09/05/colleges-which-love-early-decision-applicants-photos.html
Published by TSM
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