Surrounded by family, seniors across the country log in to their admissions portal for the colleges of their dreams. They shiver with fear of what they will find inside. “We regret to inform you,” they read.
It seems that less and less highly popular, adored universities have been sending letters stating “we are pleased to inform you” to eager seniors. Over the years, college acceptance rates have shot downward. According to the Ivy Coach, acceptance rates are at an all-time low, making 2003 acceptance rates look like a walk in the park. Highly selective colleges have denied a greater number of applicants in recent years, which has increased the desirability of these schools and caused even more students to apply.
If not accepted, schools have a variety of ways to turn down the smile and dreams of a possible student. There are two types of early application: Early Decision, meaning if they get in they are committed to the school, and Early Action, receiving an answer early. If the student has applied early, they will either be accepted, deferred or rejected. Not every school partakes in early acceptance and early action. Acceptance and rejection are simpler answers as deferral gets more complex. With an early answer, deferral means that the school will look over your application again during regular decisions and send an answer then.
There are no negative impacts of applying early except for, potentially, a longer, more dragged-out decision season. Everyone has their preferences when it comes to applying to schools, so the same goes for receiving answers.
The period four Common Sense seniors were asked about their experience with college applications and answers. The seniors averaged acceptance from four schools, one deferral and two rejections. So which response do they prefer? “It depends on the school,” senior Naina Giare said.
Of the seniors interviewed, 50% said they preferred deferral over rejection, while the remaining 50% either preferred rejection or believed it depended on the school. Deferral is a popular preference as students remain hopeful of acceptance, but can cause extreme stress and impatience during the time of waiting. “I feel like getting deferred sucks, but I prefer it to rejection because there is still a chance,” senior Emma Karcz said.
Depending on the type of student, they may prefer rejection because of the freedom that comes with it. If deferred, applicants can write a letter of continued interest so that the school can reevaluate the decision, and hopefully come back with an accepting one. If rejected, the student can try to move on and forget, focusing on other, more important schools in their journey. “Rejection [is better] because if you are deferred, you have to do more work,” senior Diya Khetan said.
Applying early can be a strenuous cycle, especially if it leads to deferral. Applying regular decision can be best suitable for students who prefer an immediate answer or are under high stress during acceptance
