For many members of the class of
2007, the wait is over.
In December, Haverford sent out 102 acceptance letters to future
students who applied through the College’s early decision
program. The program required applicants to have submitted all
of their materials and completed their interviews by November
15, 2002.
This year’s batch of early decision admittances comprises
one-third of the entire class. Traditionally, Haverford has
admitted 20 to 30 percent of its first-year class through early
decision, where other highly competitive schools admit as many
as 60 percent this way. The College has also seen a significant
increase in the number of applicants. “There is an increase
in the population of college-bound teens, which accounts for
some of the applications,” says Delsie Phillips, director
of admissions. “I think the publicity in the press about
early decision has been an incentive for some to pursue it.”
Eighteen percent of those admitted through early decision this
year are students of color, and 83 percent are graduating in
the top 10 percent of their high school class. Fifty-four percent
scored 700 or higher in their verbal SATs, 44 percent scored
700 or higher on the test’s math component, and 59 percent
scored 700 or higher on the SAT II writing test.
Haverford’s early decision program has been in existence
for more than 35 years, and is binding; students who apply make
a commitment to attend if admitted and agree to withdraw applications
to other schools. “We assume they’ve made a thorough
investigation of possible colleges, and have selected Haverford
as their first choice,” says Phillips. “We don’t
push early decision because we are aware of its potential for
abuse among families who want to use it as a strategy for admission
rather than an honest commitment to a first-choice college.”
The College also offers the same financial aid options to both
early decision and regular decision students.
Early decision, which is more popular in East Coast high schools
than anywhere else in the country, benefits both the students
and the College, according to Phillips. “Students demonstrate
their desire to attend Haverford and receive a kinder review
in the admission competition,” she says. “They also
get a very early answer, making senior year less stressful if
they are admitted.” The institution benefits, she says,
by “getting a committed group of students whose yield
is 100 percent.”
But early decision programs also pose some risk for the students
and the colleges. “Students have to be sure about their
choice early in the process and must withdraw other applications;
they are considered only on the quality of their grades through
junior year and, typically, only one SAT try,” says Phillips.
“And colleges admit a group of students without knowing
how talented the remaining applicants might be.”
During the past 30 years of early decision programs, some critics
have questioned colleges’ intent in admitting students
this way. High school guidance counselors feel that students
and parents become too focused on applying early, and that early
admission causes the students’ grades to slip in the second
half of their senior years. The counselors say that students
feel pressure to make a fast choice and will be shut out of
spring admission if they need more time to think. Some fear
that students in need of financial aid will not have access
to the best packages if they commit early, and others say that
colleges unfairly raise students’ hopes by deferring students
who have no chance of admission.
“We have been good citizens with our early decision program,”
says Phillips, who explains that Haverford does not accept the
bulk of its students through this program, encourage early decision
for inappropriate students, or offer special incentives for
early commitment. The College also defers only those students
who have real chances of being accepted in the spring. The financial
aid is based on the same formula for all students, and accepted
students may be excused from early decision if they are not
satisfied with their aid. “We have always emphasized that
any admission letter, early or regular, is conditional; the
student must complete the senior year satisfactorily,”
adds Phillips.
