The Clinton School seniors are all at the edge of their seats, awaiting the emails determining their future. For some, these responses come sooner than for others. Early Decision students receive their college decisions as the name implies: early. A week before break, Clinton students open their laptops in anticipation of possible acceptances that will dictate their academic years to come.

Early Decision (ED) is a college admissions process where students submit their applications before the standard deadline, typically early to mid-November. It differs from Regular Decision in several ways. If accepted, Early Decision is binding– it requires you to revoke your applications to all other colleges, committing to a single university. The only exception to this contract is insufficient financial aid. Scary! Considering its nature, Early Decision is ideal for students who are certain where they would like to attend.

For those a little less certain, Early Action (EA) is the second best option to show demonstrated interest in a university. Early Action allows you to apply early to schools without having to commit to a school if accepted. In the heat of competitive applications and low acceptance rates, Early Action and Early Decision are becoming increasingly popular among applicants. According to the Common App, 58% of students opted to apply for Early Decision or Early Action this past year, a 7% jump from the 2014-2015 figure.

This time of year is certainly not a walk in the park for seniors. The college admissions process is a blur of tests, essays, and compiled resumes. Students become a part of a pageant show of condensed identities neatly laid out on paper for college admissions officers to see. Not only must students decide the universities they would like to attend, they must subject themselves to the long, gut-wrenching admissions process. Hence comes the appeal of Early Decision: a quicker response to a longing plea for acceptance.

In a Google form, Clinton seniors credit their choice to ED to better chances of acceptance at their favorite and furthest-reach schools. One student writes, “I really liked the school [Dartmouth] and it was the biggest reach out of everywhere I’m applying, so I figured I might as well ED.” The choice to ED is no doubt advantageous. Informing a school they are your first choice can be a determinant of acceptance.

For some, Early Decision is just not their cup of tea. Another student writes, “I do not like any one school so much that I felt compelled to apply ED.” Ultimately, the choice comes down to preference. Although it can help, Early Decision does not ensure acceptance to a school and for an indecisive individual, it may not be the best choice.

With acceptances and deferrals, the question remains: What comes next? For students accepted early, the answer to their prayers constitutes a deep breath of relief. For the rest of the brood, the second round of ED and Regular Decision bring about new questions and major decisions for the future. With that, best of luck to our graduating class!