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The college application process is arduous for both students and their families, especially if a candidate has gathered their paperwork and made the effort to apply for Early Decision (ED) or Early Action (EA) in the fall (EA). Typically, students who select this path are applying to their dream school or a school that is at the top of their list. After submitting their applications and impatiently anticipating a response, many students receive an unwelcome news — a delay — by the December decision date.
The work an applicant has put into their application and their desperate desire to attend the ED or EA school they applied to might intensify the sting of a postponement. However, it is important to keep in mind that a delay does not mean that a student’s educational path is over or that their ambitions of attending the institution have been destroyed.
Each year, a record number of students apply to prestigious universities such as Harvard, NYU, and Duke, and the application pool for ED or EA programs tends to be even more difficult for individuals applying to such institutions. A deferral means that a candidate was qualified to advance to the next level of review but was not accepted in the initial round of applications.
If an application is deferred, it is added to the pool of Regular Decision applications, and early applicants are no longer required to visit the institution if admitted. On the one hand, this permits students to give their school preferences further thought. When delayed, students should question themselves, “Do I still want to attend the school to which I applied ED or EA, or have I discovered anything new about another institution on my list that has piqued my interest?”
Alternatively, if a student is committed to attend their ED or EA institution, they can take the following steps to increase their chances of acceptance:
Compose a Continued Interest Letter (LOCI)
Letters of continuous interest inform the admissions office of any changes to a student’s application and emphasize the value they would bring to the college community. These letters are brief and concise (usually no more than one page), but they must express the student’s new achievements and interest in the institution in a relevant and persuasive manner.
As with college essays, these letters should reflect the student’s voice and character, thus students should embrace their quirks and individuality when writing. The objective is to stand out and leave a lasting impression on the admissions office.
Remember that the yield rate is a crucial parameter that colleges consider. It will enhance a student’s application if they indicate that they will attend if approved.
Students should expeditiously write letters of sustained interest to the admissions offices of their top colleges. Students who fail to provide these letters in a timely manner demonstrate a lack of commitment to the institution or a lack of interest in completing the application process with them.
Maintain a good GPA
Many students believe that by pressing “submit” on their ED and EA applications, they will no longer have to worry about their grades. In contrast, the opposite could not be further from the truth.
Students can demonstrate to universities that they are motivated and capable of academic success at the university level by increasing their GPA and generating high-quality academic work. Students may also retake the ACT or SAT if they are dissatisfied with the score they submitted to the institution. Students who improve their test scores or grade point average after submitting their ED or EA application should include this in their statement of ongoing interest.
Continue to compose and revise essays.
The finest additional essays demonstrate that the candidate has conducted extensive research on the institution and program of their choosing. As students complete and analyze their applications, they should evaluate what they can do differently in their activities list or essays by quantifying their successes and demonstrating, rather than describing, their achievements. Continuous editing and revising will also reveal any typographical or grammatical faults that were overlooked the first time around.
Students who were rejected from a top institution in the early round should likewise follow the aforementioned processes, with the exception of submitting a letter expressing continued interest. Rejected applicants have the advantage of hindsight; they should review their Common Application and supplemental essays from the ED and EA rounds and assess how they might modify the remainder of their applications to better highlight their talents.
Students should also keep track of Early Decision II dates in addition to Regular Decision deadlines. Typically, the most significant dates to remember are January 1, 5, and 15. Before finalizing their Regular Decision or Early Decision II applications, students should review the application tips provided by Command Education.
These measures will prepare pupils for success on their path to college admission. Expert college admissions counselors from Command Education are ready to guide students through the application process and improve their chances of entrance to their preferred schools.
»Rejected from colleges with early admission? Here’s the next step«