While relieved and thankful to have an early acceptance under his belt from the University of Chicago, Hans Weng says he will wait to hear from his other top choices such as Yale and Duke before making a final decision.
Under the early action (EA) non-binding admission process offered by many U.S. schools, students like Hans, and classmate Ken Zheng who received early acceptances from Purdue and Northeastern, though notified of offers in December, are still allowed to look elsewhere. This aligns with a trend among top colleges to look more closely at an applicant's senior year.
Students who opt to accept an early decision (ED) offer; however, are contractually bound to their decision and unable to compare financial aid packages that may subsequently be received from other colleges.
That is fine by Francois Yoshida-Are, who was thrilled to accept an ED offer from Columbia University; his first-choice school and where his brother Ayo ’11 attends. Francois is thankful to Stuart Swan, SAC’s Head of Guidance, for helping guide him through the application process. He is also grateful to teachers Len Gurr and David Galajda for writing recommendation letters. “I cannot thank them enough,” says the future Columbia class of 2018 graduate.
Lucas Hu is also elated to have heard from his first choice, Hamilton College, a top liberal arts college in upstate New York. “I’m sure Hamilton would be the right choice for me to spend the next four years,” he says.
Christopher Clarke, a boarding student from Jamaica, has been offered a spot at the University of South Florida, and while its good business programs and warmer climate appeal to him, he is deferring a final decision until he hears from other schools.
According to Mr. Swan, numbers compare favourably with previous years. “We normally have two or three early acceptances to some of the most highly selective U.S. colleges, and this year is no exception,” he says, adding that students are still applying within Canada, but 23 students (28% of the class) have applied to the U.S. and three others are applying this week to U.K. universities. One student has applied to Hong Kong.
For athletes like Michael Marcantognini, who is contemplating a scholarship to play Division I soccer with Michigan State, offers like these can be received anytime throughout the school year.
While the anxiety has certainly eased for students with early offers in hand, most members of the Class of 2014 will have to wait a bit longer before feeling the relief of knowing where they’ll be heading off to school next September.
