What is “Early Decision?”

A prospective college student has the option to apply to one school for “Early Decision.”

“Simply put, Early Decision could be a more direct path to attending the college of your choice,” said Austin Brass, director of undergraduate admissions at Daemen University.

“By applying for Early Decision, applicants are saying that if they are admitted into the school, and it’s financially affordable, they will attend it,” he said.

Early Decision requires students to complete their application by an earlier deadline. Then they usually make their admissions decision within a month of acceptance.

“Essentially, it is an accelerated timeline,” Brass said. “It takes out a lot of the guesswork and potential worry of waiting until the spring to make a college decision.”

General Benefits

“By applying Early Decision, students are showing their interest—and commitment—to the institution of their choice,” Brass said.

“Typically, schools know if they admit these students, they likely to attend. Therefore, these students are often more likely to be offered admission,” he said.

This mindset is mostly used for highly selective institutions, or programs that are very difficult to get into, Brass explained.

“For example, at Daemen, our highly reputable physician assistant (PA) and nursing programs have a relatively small and finite number of seats. Therefore, applying Early Decision could affect a potential student’s admission into these programs.”

“Showing your commitment to these programs by applying for Early Decision can set you apart and indicate you have that extra initiative,” he added.

Financial Benefits

Daemen University is unique in that it provides financial benefits to students who apply Early Decision to any of its many programs.

“Daemen offers a four-year tuition guarantee program so that if tuition goes up; we offer a scholarship to mitigate the increase in tuition,” Brass explained.

“Therefore, even if tuition increases, these students will receive a scholarship to help pay for the difference,” he said. “In the end, these students can save about $6,000 over the course of their undergraduate years.”

The other difference with Daemen is that students who apply Early Decision are able to see their financial aid package before accepting.

Words of Advice

“Do your research into the school you are considering before applying Early Decision,” Brass said. “Look into their policy. Determine whether it is binding upon admission or if you are able to see the financial package before you have to commit. Lastly, make sure you love the school!”