It’s been four years since Harvard and Princeton decided to eliminate their early admissions program and now it’s back. Some argue that programs like early admissions limit the diversity of a college campus and that it places those who come from secure financial backgrounds a leg up. It seems that both schools realize that students who would prefer an Ivy, instead choose to apply early admissions to other universities. The prestigious schools are reinstating the program because they want to find out which applicants truly desire to attend and which are merely interested.
I think early admissions programs offer a great opportunity for students who know exactly what it is they want to do and where they want to go, but on the flip side I can also see how programs might hurt students without the means to apply immediately. Ultimately, the decision to apply for early admission is a decision that should be made on an individual basis – if you’ve always dreamed of going to Yale or MIT or even UF then apply.
