Harvard College announced it will no longer accept students through its early admission process because it unfairly hurt poor and minority students, but AU will not change its own process.
"Early admission programs tend to advantage the advantaged," Harvard interim President Derek Bok told the Harvard University Gazette. "Students from more sophisticated backgrounds and affluent high schools often apply early to increase their chances of admission, while minority students and students from rural areas, other countries and high schools with fewer resources miss out."
Sharon Alston, director of admissions at AU, said AU does not plan to discontinue its early decision program.
However, Alston warns, if early decision programs are overused it will hurt students that lack college counseling resources.
"Early decision programs, when abused - meaning significant percentages of freshmen coming that route - can be disadvantageous for those students who do not have the benefit of good college counseling," Alston said. "Sometimes these students have not received sufficient support to make a decision to apply to college via an early program."
Only about 18 percent of applicants are admitted due to early admission, Alston said.
Alison Shott, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs, said that early decision was beneficial to her because it allowed her to focus on other things instead of worrying about college admission.
"When the majority of college seniors did not know where they are going to end up, I was able to prepare and plan for the next four years because I already knew where I'd be," Shott said. "Instead of stressing for responses from colleges and wondering where I was able to end up, I was able to focus on studying for APs and getting college credits."
Ricki Kaplan, a sophomore in Kogod, said that she was deterred from early decision by the binding agreement.
"College is the transition between your life so far and the future," Kaplan said. "It's a process and I wanted to have all my options."
Bok said early admission also hinders those students who would benefit from the ability to compare financial aid packages, according to the Harvard Gazette.
"If money is an important factor in their college choice, regular decision allows students to receive need- or merit-based offers from multiple colleges, and they can determine which institution is making the best offer," Alston said.
Admissions officials are quick to point out the difference between Harvard's system of early action and early decision, a system used at other universities nationwide, according to the Harvard University Gazette.
Early action decisions are not binding, meaning students can still apply and be accepted to other schools. Early decision requires students to sign a contract stating they will accept admission to the school to which they applied early.
Shott said she thinks early decision is a good idea only if students are completely sure about where they want to attend.
"Early Decision is only helpful if you are positive of where you want to go, because if you may change your mind, you cannot take it back without repercussion," Shott said.
Alston said that there are positive and negative aspects to both early action and early decision programs.
"Despite these differences, both programs have their problems," Alston said.
"I believe that each of us must do what is best for our specific institutions and with the best interests of the students in mind," Alston said.
