Fast Track/Priority Admissions

My DS has received some fee waived fast track applications that require little additional work to submit. Are these a number ploy to increase the selectivity of the school by getting more applicants? The school were ones that he signed up with in the initial college search, but are not his top choices. I was thinking of having him submit the applications because they are free and would be low matches and safeties for him.

My S did a fast track application to a school that was a low match school that he could see himself attending. It was the best thing he did. He got an acceptance in October. It took a ton of pressure off the rest of the application process and it saved us money by not having to apply to safety schools lower down on his list than the one he was accepted early at.

I think the school my S applied to with the fast track application used it to increase the number of applicants and probably hoped that the good vibes from an early acceptance would help to make the school a contender in the applicant’s final decision. My D did not end up attending the school he got the fast track acceptance at, but the school was in his top few in the end.

Which colleges typically send out this type of invite? This is the first time I’ve heard of fast track. Is fee waiver always part of the deal?

Thanks @happy1 One of the schools would be an excellent safety for my son. He is not very cooperative about my insistence on applying to additional safeties because he’s applying ED1 to a school with close to 90% acceptance for ED. But you just never know what crazy thing could happen!

@bogeyorpar both were private regional universities. I’m not sure how common it is or how they decide to send them out.

Hi all! I just wanted to give you an update. DS submitted the fast track/priority application to Drake and today we got the admissions envelop. He was admitted and received the highest amount of automatic merit they award. This is an immense relief to us as we now have an excellent school that he can attend if things do not work out at his other top two choices. Des Moines is the state capitol and being in Iowa would give him amazing access to the next Presidential election process. This is a huge plus as he intends to major in politics with a plan of law school.

Wonderful! Congratulations to everyone!

@happy1 Thanks for the advice!