first 'early action' year
Yale College has reported a 50% increase in early applications this year, reflecting the college's change from a binding "early decision" program to a non-binding "early action" program.
About 3,930 students applied early for a place in the Class of 2008, up from 2,611 early applicants for the current freshman class.
President Richard C. Levin changed Yale College's early admission policy, stating that early decision programs put too much pressure on high school students too soon in their high school careers. Under early decision, applicants promise to matriculate if accepted, and cannot apply to other schools. Under Yale's early action program, students may apply early to Yale and apply to other schools during the regular application cycle. If accepted early by Yale, they do not have to decide whether to attend until May 1, allowing them to explore other college options.
"Early decision programs help colleges more than applicants," Levin said last year when Yale announced its policy change. "It is our hope to take pressure off students in the early cycle and restore a measure of reasoned choice to college admissions. Our new early action program will allow students who are very confident of their preference to receive early word from Yale while still allowing ample time for further investigation and the thoughtful weighing of options."
"We all look at this as being extremely positive," said Richard H. Shaw Jr., dean of undergraduate admissions and financial aid. "It brings a semblance of sanity back to the process."
Shaw also said he was pleased at the diversity of Yale's early applicants. One of the criticisms of early decision programs voiced by Levin and others was that high school students in need of financial aid may believe they cannot express a binding preference because it could deny them the opportunity to compare aid packages from various schools.
T H I S
W E E K ' SS T O R I E S
Yale delegates work to forge new collaborations in China
Applications are up in University's first 'early action' year
Voters are more influenced by political parties . . .
Dwight Hall launches fundraising campaign
ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIPSBlight appointed Class of 1954 Professor of American History
De Camilli named Eugene Higgins Professor of Cell Biology
Horwich is Higgins Professor of Cellular, Molecular Physiology
Women astronauts tell how they realized dream of space travel
Event celebrates contributions of women scientists
Pfizer establishes fellowship in neuroscience to honor Goldman-Rakic
Faculty forum addresses issues affecting women in science, medicine
YaleGlobal marks one-year anniversary
Reporter to discuss 'shock and awe' of covering White House
Grant supports initiative to send doctors overseas
Scientists win funding to collect data on the rice genome
Grant supports team's creation of robot to help diagnose autism
Yale selected as nation's first site for cancer epidemiology training . . .
Campus Notes
Bulletin Home|Visiting on Campus|Calendar of Events|In the News
Bulletin Board|Classified Ads|Search Archives|Deadlines
Bulletin Staff|Public Affairs|News Releases|
E-Mail Us|Yale Home