As regular decision results begin to roll in this March, seniors are still talking about a process that started months ago: early decision (ED).
However in a time of skyrocketing tuition, this early vow of loyalty to a college is becoming a luxury that many families simply can’t afford.
“Early decision is a huge commitment so people need to make sure they’re ready,” said senior Caroline Goodman.
Senior Hanbee Chang avoided this binding agreement.
“I applied mostly to in-state colleges so I did not have many financial factors to worry about. That is what I liked about early action; I was not bound to any school, so I could figure out tuition before committing,” said Chang.
For senior Maddie Whitehouse, financial considerations made the decision clear from the start.
“Early decision sounds great because acceptance rates are higher,” said Whitehouse. “But if you need to look at multiple financial aid packages, it’s not really an option.”
Instead, Whitehouse chose to apply regular decision to her schools.
“I think early decision is great if that school is truly your home and you know 150 percent. For those who need more time, early decision is too much of a commitment,” said Whitehouse.
Senior Caroline Cantillo had similar concerns.
“I avoided applying early to some colleges that seemed unnecessarily expensive. Also, spreading out my application fees made the financial part more manageable,” said Cantillo.
Cantillo said watching classmates celebrate December acceptances was complicated.
“Seeing my classmates receive their decisions made me anxious and eager to get all my decisions back so I can make my choice,” said Cantillo.
College and Career Specialist Jeff Toomer said financial considerations are often a large part of the Early Decision conversation.
“I tell students that ED is like a marriage proposal—you shouldn’t do it unless you are 100% sure this is the one,” said Toomer.
Toomer added that students should weigh both the admissions advantage and the financial commitment prior to applying.
“My primary advice is to ensure the ED school they are applying to is a good fit—academic fit, social fit, and financial fit. Financial might be the most important in the ED conversation,” said Toomer.
As seniors finalize their plans in the coming months, many say the discussion has revealed a broader reality about college admissions.
“[ED is] supposed to show commitment to a school,” said Chang. “But sometimes it feels like only certain students can afford making that commitment.”
Whitehouse agreed income can quietly influence opportunity.
“Financial reasons made me apply early action which allowed me to know the aid that would be available further in advance,” said Whitehouse.
Now, as March decisions continue to roll out, students say the debate isn’t about who deserves acceptance, but rather about who can afford to take the risk.
