The Tufts admissions blog is one of my favorites for two reasons: (1) they write about things applicants care about, and (2) they regularly serve up unvarnished admissions truths.
Tufts’ Meredith Reynolds’s recent post, Should I Apply Early Decision?, offers what I thought was an honest, helpful take for any applicant pondering that question. And she doesn’t just tackle the easy part of the answer (only apply early decision if it’s your first choice). Within the post, she also gives one of the most honest answers I’ve seen to the question, “Is it easier to get in if I apply early?” And her final takeaway is great advice for any college-bound student, Tufts applicant or not.
“So here’s the take-away, junior and seniors: There is value in taking the time now to determine if you have a first choice school – and if you do, Early Decision can be a really great option. But if you don’t find a first choice school – one you’re sure of and your family has decided they can afford – ED is simply not meant for you. And that’s OK, because the schools that see a fit with you are still going to be excited to admit you in March (and here’s another fact to keep in mind – by sheer volume, we say “yes” to far more people in Regular than we do in Early). And ultimately, this decision is just too darn big to make based on anything other than pure love for an institution and excitement for your future there.”