<p>"Harvard's announcement that the university is ending its early admissions program is being heralded as the first step in restoring sanity to the college admissions process. Beginning next year, Harvard will have one application deadline, Jan. 1, for all students.</p>
<p>The university is waiting a year to implement the new policy so that other schools have time to consider following suit. While Harvard's early program was non-binding, many colleges offer early decision, where a student commits to attending the school if accepted.</p>
<p>Early admissions programs, particularly early decision, benefit colleges because they increase a school's yield, the number of accepted students who attend the college. Admissions deans pay close attention to this number, because a high yield makes a school look hot and a low yield looks like the school has cooties. Alumni tend to view their school more positively when everyone wants to go there, and college presidents like to keep potential alumni donors happy.</p>
<p>Understandably, college administrators fear a lower yield if they don't lock in a significant number of students through an early admissions program, and it will be inter- esting to see whether other colleges follow Harvard's lead. Harvard can afford to try a new policy since the prestige of the university guarantees that many students will want to attend, no matter what the application process..."</p>