<p>They might do both! But if it’s email, it’ll probably arrive exactly on the 15th, whereas actual mail will arrive the week of the 15th and definitely BY the 15th.</p>
<p>exciting stuff! I already have a celebration plan if I get accepted. Not gonna spoil the surprise though. And if I get rejected/deferred… well let’s not focus on the negatives here</p>
<p>Hahaa that sounds awesome! What other schools are you guys looking at if you aren’t immediately accepted?</p>
<p>I have Dartmouth on my list if I get deferred/rejected, and one safety school which I like a lot too.</p>
<p>So are we positive that we’ll get the decision letters by December 15 because the website just says that letters will be mailed around December 15 which is quite open-ended and ambiguous.</p>
<p>Nope, definitely by the 15th! Unless of course you’re international. Then idk, sorry!</p>
<p>I don’t think they can guarantee an admission letter receipt by the 15th. Sending, yes. But since they don’t run the post office… receipt, no. The assumption could be that if they have made their decision by December 10th and immediately issued admission letters then receipt by the 15th is, ohhhhh, highly likely. </p>
<p>Thrown into the mix is financial aid, if any. That comes after the admission decision. I would assume that an admission letter would include any financial aid info. That may not be true. If it is true the admission yea/nea is done in the first week of December, the financial in the second week and the notification immediately afterward. The net/net is that everyone will be glued to their mailbox starting the 12th. The end of the world does NOT occur on the 15th but if nothing is there by the 17th or 18th… not a “good thing”. All right coast posters… need to let left coast posters know if they have heard anything so that anxiety levels can skyrocket with the extra delivery time.</p>
<p>Kurtataltos, are FA packages honestly not included in the admissions decision? What if you need time to negotiate your package? That only leaves you like one week before the RD round if you ultimately have to turn down Amherst…</p>
<p>My understanding is that the admissions decision occurs 7-10 days into December and any FA takes place immediately after, with the whole package ready by the 14-15th. If I understand this correctly, and I have often been in error, I can envision a scenario where prospective students are notified from… oh… the 15-17th. Hence the term often heard of “mid-December”. It’s a LOT of work to force feed all the ED applications through an entire process in two weeks. </p>
<p>But, you are correct regarding the “what if”. If you are not accepted then applying elsewhere means a lot of work between “mid-December” and Jan1. Obviously the common app helps, but still, busy, busy, busy. JMHO.</p>
<p>Ohhhh that makes sense, thanks kurtataltos!</p>
<p>And fun fact: there are 413 of us this year 
[Early-Decision</a> Applications Surge at Vanderbilt, George Washington and Dartmouth - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/18/ed/]Early-Decision”>Early-Decision Applications Surge at Vanderbilt, George Washington and Dartmouth - The New York Times)</p>
<p>Yes. Amherst had a 5% drop in ED applications this fall, so that should give each of you an even better chance than you may have been expected! Good luck to you all.</p>
<p>Hahaaa I highly doubt it’ll lead to any boost, but that’d be awesome!</p>
<p>From a parent who has been there with her DS: Admission letters will arrive sometime around the 15th of December (not necassarily on the 15th). Financial Aid package will arrive about one week after the acceptance letter. Amherst does not email acceptances.</p>
<p>Mom</p>
<p>I am a little confused about how to apply for financial aid. Is the deadline already passed? And is it need-based? If I am well above the income bracket for need-based is it even worth trying or would I never get a package?</p>
<p>to rjm1120:
Is it a new policy that they won’t email acceptances, because for 2014 RD they did send out email decisions, according to college confidential. Also, if they do send through regular mail, i’m assuming Fed-Ex? If not, i’m doomed because I’m an intl student. </p>
<p>to CandidSquire: I believe the deadline for the CSS Profile was Nov 1 for early decision.</p>
<p>Kim, you’ll definitely be e-mailed your decision since you are an international student.</p>
<p>Actually Candid, it was November 15th for financial aid. You might as well have applied - you never know until you try. However, it might be a little too late since you missed the deadline.</p>
<p>Also, preemptive complaint but - the “Amherst College Class of 2015” facebook group is made up of upperclassmen or people who don’t go to Amherst. Is it odd that it already exists? And it’s people who haven’t been accepted yet or attend different schools?</p>
<p>Only International students are emailed their application results. When my DS was accepted into the class of 2013, his letter was sent by the postal service (we are in the continental US).</p>
<p>so does that mean the turn around time for an Amherst Early Decision application is shorter than that for a normal Early Decision application (since the Amherst deadline is the 15th)?</p>