| The Early Action or Early Decision options have become increasingly popular over the last few years. Finding out the decision (accept, defer or deny) of your first choice college by mid-December can be very enticing. However, there are some considerations to keep in mind before choosing either of these options.
You can only apply to 1 college as an Early Decision applicant.
If you think you might want to apply early, and you fit the criteria of an early applicant, YOU MUST START COLLEGE VISITING BY SPRING BREAK.
Early Decision
An Early Decision acceptance is binding, i.e. you are obligated to attend that school, and must withdraw all other applications.
Applications must be received by October or early November. Decisions are made by late November or early December. Consequently, the admissions officer will be evaluating your credentials before he/she knows how many or how outstanding the regular group of applicants will be. Therefore, the admissions officer must make certain that your credentials are as strong in all respects as the strongest of the usual applicants. Your grades should be high (mostly A's) in a rigorous curriculum; you should have a breadth and depth of interests and activities; and testing scores that would place you in the top 15% of the typical applicant group to that college. The more selective the college, the more difficult it is to be admitted through Early Decision.
Early Decision/Early Action forms are due to Karen Barbarese by Friday, October 10.
Several colleges will ask Early Decision applicants to submit first quarter senior grades. First quarter grades at GFS are unofficial, that is, they do not go on your transcript, and are not, as a matter of course, sent to colleges. However, some colleges, do ask us to send the first quarter grades of early applicants. We will ask your permission to do so. Obviously, strong grades are to your advantage. If your first quarter grades are not requested, decisions will be based on your transcript through the end of junior year.
Early Action
An Early Action acceptance is not binding. Some schools offer Early Action instead of Early Decision. The timing and procedures are the same: You are accepted, denied, or occasionally deferred, by late December. If accepted, however, you do not have to let the college know of your decision to attend or not until May 1. This approach gives you more flexibility but again, forces the college to make a decision before they have senior year information.
Even if you apply early, you must have your regular choice list ready and forms to Karen by the appropriate date, December 1st for January 1st and January 15th deadline.
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