SALISBURY, Md. - More high school seniors are using early action when applying to colleges. Early action is a application process in the fall that promises a decision by January. But the upsurge is causing many applicants to be deferred.
The most recent report found a 72% increase in applications for colleges with early action options. Only 38% of those colleges reported increases in acceptances. "I think the trend has definitely been for the last few years for everything in the process to move earlier - Students are applying earlier, some schools have moved their deadlines earlier, and that does create a sense of urgency, said Aaron Basko, Vice President of Enrollment at Salisbury University.
Students who are in fact deferred are then considered regular applicants and must wait for a final decision. Often times, this leaves them in a state of disappointment and worry, but Basko says not to be surprised or take it personally. "I think it's hard for students sometimes - not knowing. They want to be guaranteed - that if I just get this and this and this, I can definitely get in, but really at a selective institution, if you get that kind of message, it's not that you're not qualified - they may think you're very well qualified, they just have some limitations in terms of the spaces they're able to provide," said Basko.
Basko recommends that if you are deferred, you should send in additional letters of recommendation, test scores and updated grade reports which can be helpful in the decision process. He also says that it's important to have at least 3 to 5 back up schools - it's a competitive process and you don't know who you might be competing with in a particular year and how strong that applicant pool is.
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