Can somebody explain the difference between rolling decisions, early evaluation, early decision, and early action?? Which one is better for boosting chances??
<p>For Early Decision you apply earlier than usual (November) and sign a binding contract saying that if you are admitted you will attend that college. Of all the admissions decisions you mentioned, this one improves your chances the most because you have to attend that college. However, you can only apply early decison at one college and you don't have the option of comparing financial aid packages from other colleges.
Early Action is similar to Early Decision in that you apply earlier. However, it is not binding. You will receive an admissions decision sooner than regular decision but you are not obligated to attend that college.
I have no idea what early evaluation is, and only a vague idea of rolling decision. I think it's like regular decision only on a rolling basis. Instead of everyone applying at one time and finding out whether they were accepted at the same time, it's more staggered. The people who apply first will find out first, and so on. Hope this helped!</p>
<p>Policies vary by school, so your best bet is to always read the early policies at the schools which you are interested in </p>
<p>Rolling admissions- usually used at public schools. You apply and with in 4 to 6 weeks you have a decision. This is a case where the early bird does catch a worm especially if FA is an issue, and you are an instate resident. </p>
<p>EA is non binding. You ususally apply by november 1 and you get your response back in december. At most schools if you apply EA you can apply to other schools simultaneously. Since EA isn't binding, you don't need to withdraw your other applications if you get an EA acceptance. You do not get yur financial aid award letter until april and you have until May to give the school a decision.</p>
<p>SCEA --Single choice EA -- at Yale, Harvard and Stanford. If you apply SCEA, these school are very specific in stating that you can't apply early to any other school. You can however apply RD and you don't need to withdraw your applications if you get accepted SCEA.</p>
<p>ED policies vary the most by school. At some schools you MAY be able to apply EA as well (but not SCEA). Basically you are promising that if you are accepted ED, you will attend. At some of the Ivies if you apply ED at one of their schools you can not apply ED anywhere else. the one thing all ED policies have in common is that if you are accepted to your ED school you must withdraw all other applications, EA, Rolling and RD. when applying ED, you pretty much live and die by your FA package because the school really has not vested interest to negotiate because you have committed to attend. Most schools will only let you out of your ED contract, because of extreme circumstances and you are not able to pay. If this is the case, that will let you out to attend your local public university. </p>
<p>Things to consider:</p>
<p>You and your guidance counselor are responsible for signing off on your ED application. Your backing out of ED can have ramifications for you and your classmates. Your guidance counselor is obligated to making sure that if you are accepted that the rest of your apps are withdrawn. Some schools and GC have been blacklisted by some colleges because of their role in ED practices, so it is hard for students from that school to be admitted.</p>
<p>If possible you should read the common data sets for the schools which you are interested in so that you have an idea of what percent of their incoming class is admitted ED. Some schools admit close to 50% of their incoming class ED. At Penn, if you are a legacy, your status as a legacy is only given consideration during the ED round. </p>
<p>There are many thoughts to ED, some people beleive that the process caters to the very rich or very poor because the rich will not need to compare offers, if accepted they can write their check, and the very poor will get the FA that is needed. Some people beleive that the ED pool is not as smart as the RD pool, but those are decisions you must make for your self.</p>