| Preparing for college can be a very nerve racking | | | | applying to will want to have a higher degree of |
| experience. You have to spend all that time | | | | commitment from you, if you are accepted. You |
| organizing the various portions of your application. | | | | may have to apply exclusively to just one school and |
| There's your transcripts, personal statement, letter | | | | commit to only that school if accepted. Early |
| of recommendation and volumes of personal | | | | decisions are usually made by December, so if you |
| accomplishments to include. Once you send your | | | | are confident that you can get in to the school of |
| application in, there's an anxious waiting period. | | | | your choice, and if you are ready to make an |
| Applying to colleges can be pretty stressful, but one | | | | exclusive commitment to that school, then early |
| way to reduce the stress and skew the acceptance | | | | decisions can really help you speed up the admissions |
| odds in your favor is to apply early. | | | | process. |
| Applying to college early is a good idea. The best | | | | Even of you plan to attend a community college, you |
| time to apply to the schools that you are considering | | | | still need to apply early. The admissions process for |
| is the moment when they begin accepting | | | | junior colleges is much more streamlined and much |
| applications. Whether the college you're applying to | | | | less stringent than the application process for |
| has specific deadlines or rolling admissions, as soon as | | | | four-year universities. Despite the more simple |
| you can turn in your application, do so. | | | | procedures and requirements, some community |
| In most colleges, early application increases your odds | | | | colleges start to turn applicants away when they get |
| of acceptance. This is not true for every institution | | | | too full. If you really want to secure a spot at your |
| of higher learning, so if you are unsure whether or | | | | local community college, then applying early is the |
| not an early application will increase your odds, ask | | | | way to go. |
| admissions officers specific questions about their | | | | Applying early will save you time and reduce your |
| application policies. Ask how many students are | | | | level of academic anxiety. When you apply early, you |
| admitted early, and find out what percentage of | | | | get results back quickly. Whether the news is good |
| early applicants were accepted. If each figure is a | | | | or bad, the more time you have to make |
| high number, then you know that an early application | | | | arrangements the better. If you get into the school |
| will increase your chances of being accepted. | | | | of your choice, you can immediately start looking for |
| You can also apply for an early decision (or early | | | | housing and accepting financial aid. If you are |
| action), but some restrictions will apply. When you | | | | rejected from the school of your choice, then you |
| apply for an early decision, you have to be fairly | | | | still have time to take evasive action like appealing |
| certain that you will be accepted. Early decisions | | | | your decision or finding alternative solutions. |
| come at a price. Typically, the college that you are | | | | |