After eliminating early decision from the undergraduate admissions process in 2006, President Teresa A. Sullivan announced yesterday that the University will introduce an early action option starting with 2012 applicants. Bringing back early action is advantageous for both the University and for prospective students - it allows the school to attract high-caliber applicants early in the admissions process and at the same time does not pose a disadvantage to low-income students, as the program is nonbinding.
Early action and early decision are fundamentally similar programs that allow students to be notified of admissions decisions months before those who apply during the regular admissions period. But unlike with early action, students accepted to the University through early decision were obligated to attend the University. Early decision programs nationwide drew criticism because they tended to work to the disadvantage of lower-income applicants. With a binding decision, it was argued that less affluent students would be unable to participate in early decision, as it deprived them of the opportunity to compare financial aid packages at different institutions. Only students financially secure enough to foot the University's tuition in full could rest easy with a binding agreement to attend.
With early action, however, students are not obliged to make a final decision until a May 1 deadline, which is the same for students accepted during the regular admissions process. This key component of early action gives students the flexibility to consider competing aid offers from other schools and lets them know what the cost of attending the University will be before they commit. In fact, students accepted early to the University will receive financial aid offers earlier than regular-decision applicants, affording early applicants more time to consider their options.\nThe University will adopt a non-restricting early action model, which allows students to apply through early admission programs at other schools, University spokesperson Carol Wood said. And because the University will not release decisions about early-action applicants until Jan. 31, students essentially must apply to other colleges before hearing back from the University. Most other schools have a Jan. 1 regular-round application deadline, meaning that a student not admitted early would be out of luck if they waited until the University posted its decision before considering other colleges.
Last but not least, introducing early action is a smart move for the University itself. In 2006, it appeared the University would be among the first of many schools to eliminate early admission programs across the country, following the lead of Harvard and Princeton Universities. But most schools have opted to keep such programs in place, although some colleges have made the switch from early decision to early action. With early action, the University will be able to target qualified students looking to finish the stressful admissions process as early as possible in the year. It is always in the University's interest to attract as many bright students as possible, and providing them with more application options is likely to increase the number of students considering and matriculating at the University.
Read More
CARTER: U.Va. Health owes clarity to transplant patients
By Nathaniel Carter | 2 days agoUnfortunately, this negative press is fully the fault of U.Va. Health — it failed to address significant stakeholder concerns when crafting its justification.
EDITORIAL: Upholding medical amnesty is a collective effort
By Editorial Board | 2 days agoUniversity leadership, Greek life organizations and students themselves must recommit to the safety provided by an effective and knowledgeable use of medical amnesty.
KURTZWEIL: Dockworkers’ unions cannot avoid the threat of automation
By Paul Kurtzweil | 3 days agoInstead of continuing to demand decreased automation, the union should work with the legislature in the hopes of driving investment into the reorganization of the current workforce.
