William and Mary Early Decision

I'm seriously considering applying for Early Decision at William and Mary, but I'm not entirely sure. Could anyone shed some light on the pros and cons of such a decision, or share any experiences? Thanks!

Sure, navigating the Early Decision process can seem daunting, so it's a good thing you're weighing your options. When thinking about applying Early Decision (ED), here are a few things you may want to consider:

Pros of ED:

Commitment: Applying ED signals to the college that it is your first choice, which can affirm your interest in the school.

Increased admission rate: The acceptance rate during the ED round is usually slightly higher compared to Regular Decision (RD).

Peace of mind: If accepted, you'll know where you're going to college much earlier (usually by mid-December) which can considerably lessen the stress and anxiety around the college application process.

Cons of ED:

Binding agreement: If accepted, you are committing to enroll at William and Mary, even if you get accepted into other colleges later on. This can be limiting if you later realize you had other colleges in mind.

Financial Aid: If your financial aid package doesn't meet your needs, you can revoke the ED agreement, but this should be a last resort. It's crucial to run through net price calculators beforehand to ensure that the affordability will not be a major concern.

Limited comparison: Since you find out about your admission result early, you can't compare financial aid packages from multiple schools which you can do with the Regular Decision process.

Choosing the ED route largely depends on how sure you are about your choice. You should only apply ED if you are 100% certain that William and Mary is your top choice and you would be thrilled to attend, and if you've considered all other aspects such as financial affordability. I've heard of students being overjoyed at learning about their acceptance early and not having to stress about admission for months. But another student might feel restricted by the binding agreement and find it impulsive to commit so early. It all boils down to personal preference and circumstances. I hope this helps!