Insider Speak

Garrett Brinker, Director of Undergraduate Outreach and Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago, talks to Youth Incorporated about early admissions.

The kind of student that applies early
Students who want flexibility in managing the demands of their individual application schedule may find that applying early is useful. Early Action is simply an option for students who prefer to stagger their deadlines for applying to colleges, or for those who prefer to hear their decision a bit earlier.

On whether an early application is given preference over regular applications
The University [of Chicago] evaluates all applications by the same standards, whenever they are submitted.

The kind of student that is accepted early
We look for bright students with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and passion for learning. We are hoping to find out who each student is, and what he or she will bring to our campus. Show us how you maximized your high school experience and pursued opportunities to develop unique talents. We consider all of the information that students present in their application, not just test scores and GPA. There is no single quality that can determine the strength of an application.

Advice for students who want to apply early
Take a deep breath and relax. Applying to college and choosing the right place for you can be fun. If there is one thing to take away from this process, it should be that college, no matter where you choose to attend, is going to be a fantastic experience.

What’s in it for you?
Early Decision

• Biggest pro: Early admission to a university you’re absolutely sure you want to go.
• Biggest con: You can’t compare financial aid packages with other universities because you have no choice but to accept the ED offer.
• Some ED universities: Brown University, Carnegie Mellon University, Virginia Tech,
  Northwestern University, Barnard College.

Early Action

• Biggest pro: You can apply to multiple universities, compare financial aid packages and then choose accordingly.
• Biggest con: SCEA limits application to only one SCEA university, in many cases an Ivy League.
• Some EA universities: University of Chicago, University of Notre Dame, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology.
• Some SCEA universities: Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford.

Some myth busters

• There is pressure to decide and choose a university quicker than one usually would.
• If not accepted under ED and EA, there is less time to apply to other universities.
• ED and EA applicants are usually high achievers and are likely to up the ante in the competition for places.
• Not recommended for students who apply early only because ,their friends are applying early. Say no to peer pressure!

 

Volume 2 Issue 4