<p>Is this a good idea, especially since the amount of kids applying next year will be huge?</p>
<p>It may make a difference with a rolling admission school or ones that have early admission or early decision. It won’t make a difference if a school only has single regular decision. In that case the school waits until the time limit is up and weighs all the applications it has for consideration.</p>
<p>It will help, if not from an admissions standpoint, than from a sanity standpoint. If you get all your applications done over the summer and send them in early than it’ll make senior year that much easier. That’s what my S did, and while all of her friends were stressed out w/ school AND applications, she could relax a little.</p>
<p>It’s always a good idea to apply EA to schools that offer it, if that’s what you’re asking. It’s a lot less stressful come April when you already have 2 acceptances.</p>
<p>Definitely, definitely do EA. </p>
<p>My original college list had about 8-12 schools (2/3 reaches to varying degrees, rest safties to varying degrees) on it, and I was honestly scared s***-less. I EA’d to 2 schools (one reach, one safety). After getting my decision back (2 acceptances), I was able to not only knock off all the safeties off the list but also a few reaches that I had more time to research. In the end, I wound applying to less than half the schools on my original list, saving money and dividing the already lessened workload, and going into final college decisions season without any fears of having to go to a CC.</p>
<p>If you want to ignore that life story of mine, I reiterate my first sentence. Definitely EA as much as you can while still keeping quality. It’ll keep you sane and save you some money while you’re at it.</p>
<p>Definitely agree with Sungchul. S1 got two acceptances (to two of his top four choices) and a deferral in the EA round. He dropped three schools from his list and stuck to only those schools that would have had a chance of convincing him to attend over his two EAs.</p>
<p>One consideration: if you don’t get in to schools EA, it can be hard getting enthused about completing more applications in mid-December. Your school may also require you to have rec and transcript requests submitted in early Dec., before you have EA decisions. The reality is that you need to be prepared to ship off more apps in late December if things don’t go as you hope.</p>
<p>Another consideration: you may still want to apply to those other schools if you want the full range of FA possibilities available for your decision come April. If you’re dependent on FA, keep your options open. Saw lots of kids in April having to decline their dream schools because FA just didn’t work out the way they’d hoped.</p>
<p>Be sure and discuss $$$ with your parents NOW. You don’t want surprises. Neither do your parents. EFC is always more than we parents imagine.</p>
<p>OP: Do apply early as this will help you cut down your aplications once you get into your safeties or any of matches/reaches early?</p>
<p>YES. if it is non binding!</p>
<p>Statistically, it depends on the school. If it’s EA (or even ED in some cases), it often doesn’t help your chances much, if at all. However, as posters above have mentioned, it’s worth it to get things done early for several reasons.
- It will give you some sanity during a very busy senior year. It will make things easier and less busy and will save you some stress.
- It may help knock some schools off your list (if it will, then definitely do it).
- Chances are, your application may be better. Even if you are just doing regular decision, getting your essays/application done in advance will insure that you aren’t doing them last minute and that you have time to let a teacher or parent check it over.</p>