Q&A with Kelly: How Our Mentors Empower Students for Early Admissions Success

A: The biggest distinction to note is that Early Decision is binding, meaning that a student is obligated to attend if accepted, while Early Action is not—a student accepted from the EA pool may choose to attend another school they have been accepted to. Some schools offer multiple Early Decision pathways—usually called EDI and EDII—which allow students to apply with the same binding commitment in either November of January. Also worth noting is that Early Action applications may be restrictive to varying degrees (often called Single Choice Early Action or Restrictive Early Action), which means that students may not be allowed to apply early to other schools outside of the one they have chosen.

While Early Decision, Early Action, and Restrictive (or Single-Choice) Early Action are umbrella terms used for the most common early admissions options, specific rules for each option can differ from school to school. Taking into account these rules, we don’t just focus on maximizing students’ chances at their early school(s); we ensure that students strategically maximize their chances across the entirety of their college list. For example, students who apply SCEA to Yale might think that they can’t apply EA or ED to any other school, but that's actually not true: there are a number of caveats to the rule that can allow students to apply to certain other schools on their list. At Command, we take every opportunity to make sure students still apply early wherever possible so they can increase their admissions chances across their entire college list.

A: By the end of junior spring, students should actively be researching colleges, narrowing down their college list, and considering their early admissions strategy. The earlier, the better! Simply applying Early Action or Early Decision isn’t enough to significantly boost admissions chances; students need ample time to conduct in-depth research about their top school(s), attend information sessions or virtual tours, and potentially even connect with current students or faculty members—all of which can then demonstrate the student’s genuine interest in the school and provide them with specific details and anecdotes for their supplemental essays. By August 1st (when the Common App rolls over for the upcoming application cycle), students should finalize their early admissions strategy and ensure adherence to all relevant rules and guidelines.

A: There are two primary factors I encourage all of my students to account for when evaluating their early admissions options:

First, Early Decision is a binding agreement, meaning you must attend if admitted. (The only—and very rare—exception to this rule is if the student cannot attend due to financial reasons.) Students should not apply ED to a school simply because they want to increase their admissions chances. I ask students questions like: do the academic offerings align with what you’re passionate about studying? Can you see yourself joining different clubs and participating in activities and traditions both on and off campus? Is the nearby city or town appealing to you? Considering all of these questions (and more) can help students make sure that the school they apply to Early Decision is a school they are 100% confident they’d be happy to attend!

Additionally, I tell students to use their one shot wisely—be ambitious, but realistic. Applying ED doesn’t guarantee admission, but it can increase your chances as long as you’re a qualified applicant (e.g., if your test scores and GPA are within or above the middle 50% of accepted students). If a school is a super high reach, then applying ED likely won’t move the needle.

A: Students who stand out in the early application pool convey a clear, strong, and authentic reason to attend the school in their application. Whether their intended academic program aligns perfectly with the school’s offerings, their extracurricular activities and community leadership exemplify the school’s mission and values, or they bring a unique skill, talent, or perspective, the (qualified) student who makes the admissions officer think “I can see exactly how they’d contribute to our community” is likely to stand out and be admitted.

A: The college admissions process doesn’t start during senior or even junior year—it starts as soon as a student signs up with us. At Command Education, Senior Mentors work directly with students to craft compelling narratives that will position them as attractive applicants for their schools of interest, ensuring that their profile stands out no matter where they apply early. Our students also benefit from the combined expertise and experience of our entire team as we conduct data-driven risk assessments of early admissions options for every individual student. Our Admissions Advisory Board provides insights from inside the admissions office so that mentors are equipped with the most data-backed strategies to help students stand out in early admission pools.

From there, we make strategic recommendations based on a combination of the student’s quantitative, qualitative, and “miscellaneous” factors that can comprise their admissions evaluation. We go beyond just the numbers or activities to include important considerations like the school’s ED/EA vs. RD admissions rates, whether they track demonstrated interest (and, if so, how strongly), whether the student’s profile or background may be an institutional priority for the school, and more. Additionally, once the early admissions strategy is finalized, Senior Mentors expertly guide students through a scaffolded writing process so they hit the ground running with their EA/ED supplements and requirements.