Is Early Decision Right for You?

Skidmore's early decision plans are designed for those students who have examined their college choices carefully and have decided, by November 15 or January 15 of their senior year, that Skidmore is their first-choice college. We hope the following questions and answers will be helpful in deciding whether early decision is right for you. We encourage you to discuss your plans with your parents and guidance counselor before making a final decision.

To submit an early decision application students should file the Application for Freshman Admission with the application fee (or request for a fee waiver) by November 15 for Round I and by January 15 for Round II. Candidates should check the box on page one of the application indicating that they are applying for early decision and submit the signed Early Decision Agreement Form with the application.

Since the Admissions Committee renders decisions on early decision applications within a month of the deadline, it is very important that the required information from the counselor and teachers be submitted in a timely fashion.

When will I receive a decision on my application?

Students who apply by the November 15 deadline for Round I will be notified of the decision on their application in mid-December. Those who apply by the January 15 Round II deadline will hear by February 15. While early decision candidates may initiate applications to other colleges, if they are accepted under one of the early decision plans they must immediately withdraw all other applications and enroll at Skidmore.

How do I apply for financial aid as an early decision applicant?

If I am accepted early decision and am an applicant for financial aid, when will I hear about my financial aid package?

Accepted students whose financial aid applications are complete will receive notification about their financial ad with their decision letters. Accepted early decision candidates whose financial aid files are incomplete are notified as soon as they submit the missing financial aid information.

What is the difference between the Round I and Round II early decision plans?

The only difference is the dates. Many students visit colleges early and know by November 15 that Skidmore is their first choice and are able to file a Round I early decision application. Other students wait until January 15 because their decision to apply early came after the Round I deadline or because they want the Admissions Committee to have the benefit of new test scores and/or senior grades through the first semester in making the decision on their application.

What if I apply for early decision and am not accepted?

Most students who are not accepted early decision are deferred for reconsideration in the spring and notified of their final decision in late March. The Admissions Committee defers students in order to have the benefit of additional senior grades and/or test scores that may not be available at the time of early decision or to see how they compare competitively to the entire regular decision applicant pool.

In some cases, it is apparent to the Admissions Committee that an early decision candidate will clearly not be competitive for admission and that it is in the student's best interest to know this sooner rather than later. In this situation, the Admissions Committee denies the applicant at the time of early decision notification, thus enabling the student to focus on alternative plans.

Do I have a better chance of admission by applying under early decision than I do if I apply under regular decision?

It is important for students to understand the first-choice commitment involved in applying through an early decision plan. Students should apply early decision because they feel sure Skidmore is the college they want to attend, not because there is a strategic advantage in doing so. A slightly higher percentage of the early decision pool is accepted compared with the regular decision pool due to the nature of the first-choice commitment involved in early decision. Also, an early decision candidate competes in a pool of several hundred applicants as opposed to several thousand for regular decision. As a selective college, Skidmore receives applications from more qualified students than can be accepted. A qualified candidate for admission does have a statistically better chance for admission through early decision, but that should not be what drives the decision to apply early.

Should I apply early decision?

Students who have carefully and thoroughly researched their college and know by November 15 or January 15 that Skidmore is their first choice should apply under the early decision plan. If accepted, they will have successfully resolved their college plans by January 1 or February 15; if deferred, they will have effectively communicated their first-choice interest to the Admissions Committee as they are reevaluated through the regular decision process.

Additional questions? Give us a call at the Admissions Office: 1-800-867-6007 or 518-580-5570 or contact us via e-mail at admissions@skidmore.edu.  

Click here for Early Decision Agreement

Good luck in your college search!