50 days to go

 There are only 50 days left between now and Jan 01 when most  college applications are due
 While that sounds short , it is more than enough assuming you   stay calm and work systematically towards this .

 The first thing  you need to have in place is all your school related information- namely  transcripts and recommendations ( teacher and counsellor).    If you don't have this information  or letters ready - ask immediately.

 The other key component of your application is   your essay.   you have enough time to select the topic , write a  draft and go through a couple of revision and editing cycles.
 Its not a long essay but  it can take time to  write a good short essay.

   Next you need to select  a list of colleges to apply to . Keep financial considerations in mind at this stage
  Now complete the common application form  and star working on college specific essays.

 If you need assistance with any part of these steps -  you can contact us at clearskyeducation@gmail.com

Universities with late deadlines

 To  start. Happy New Year! I trust that everyone submitted their applications by the January 01   deadline

 if you  could not submit   your applications on time - DONT PANIC. many excellent programs have mid Jsanuary and Februyary deadlines. Here is a list of some pof the colleges I recommend to our students

University of  Michigan Ann Arbor		Feb-01
UIUC  University of Illinois Urbana champaign		Jan-05
Rose  Hulman Institute  of technology		Feb-01
Worcester Polytechnic  Institute		Feb-01
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute		Jan-15
University of Indiana Bloomington		Feb-01
University of Pittsburgh		rolling
Penn State University		rolling
University of  Minnesota  twin cities		rolling
College of Wooster		Feb-15
Ohio Wesleyan University
Illinois Institute of Technology		Aug 01 (rolling)
University of Richmond		Jan-15
Washingtpn University St. Louis		Jan-02
University of Wisconsin  Madison		Feb-01
Georgetown University		Jan-10
George Mason University		Jan-15
University of Cincinatti		Mar-01
Clark  Uiniversity		Jan-15
pace university		Feb-15
Beloit college		Jan-15
Franklin and  Marshall college		Jan-15

 Time to get to work!

Early Deadline

 As you probably know , tomorrowis the deadline for EA and ED applications. Ideally these should  have been submitted by now
  At many schools,The earlier you submit  the better the odds are.

Rresaders of this blog know I strongly favor the Early Action  admission option. I think that  almost everone benefits by applying EA to a good university like the University of  Michigan.  Not only  is your common app complete but you have had to give serious thought to your recommendatuions and   others essays. Michigan is a great university for almost any major ranging from fine artsd to  engineering. Illinois, Case Western, Wisconsin are  are other gret EA options.
 If you have a dream university in mind then do apply ED.

Early Decision

 The Earky Decision(ED) application cycle is  very attractive to  many students.   One applies by   November 01 and  receives a response by mid  December, Acceptances are  almosrt three times higher than the Regular Decision cycle.   The key point of Early Decision is that it is binding. If accepted you are obliged to enroll.   The only exceptions to the ED rule is when  one can prove that  it is  financially unviable.

  If you have a clear first choice "dream  school" in mind and  are able to afford it without depending on   large  amounts financial aid, it is an excellent option.

  The universities I consider to be  worth applying  for ED are 

• Colombia
• Northwestern
• Amherst
• Williams
• Duke
• Carnegie Mellon
• Pomona
• Rice
• Harvey  Mudd
• Vanderbilt
• Johns Hopkins
• Cornell

All of the above are comited to meeting the financial needs of ED students and will work together to resolve  any issues

 Ther are only 20 days until the standard ED deadline of  Nov 01 so if you have a dream university of there  its time to  lock it in

Early Action

 Early Action(EA) is an excellent  appplication option. You apply by  Nov 01  ( Only 28 days left)

 and hear of  your decision by mid december.  EA is non commital,   if accepted   one has until May to decide.  If rejected  you can reapply on the January deadline or  rework your college list accordingly. Not all universities  use EA applications but ther are several excellent options.

 EA is done properly is a win-win for the student. you have secured admission by  mid december and can now focus on just 2 or 3 more application for the Jan 01 deadline.  If rejected  you can re-ealuate your list and redo your essay.

  Three of the best STEM universities  have an EA cycle. If you are interested in studying  engineering or a STEM program please condsider these three options.

• Caltech
• MIT
• Georgia Tech

 Someof the best large public universities also have  EA admissions. 

•  University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
• University of  North Carolina - Chapel  Hill
• University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign
• University of  Georgia - Athens

Almost all students will find one or more relevant programs at one of thes schools and  I strongly recommend applying EA to one or two of these.

 Other   well known universities offering EA applications are

•  Case Western Reserve University
•  Universaity of Chicago
• Clark University
•  Many smaller liberal arts schools also offer EA deadlines

• Agnes Scott College
• College of Wooster
• Goucher College
• Hampshire college
•  Birmingham Southern

Deadlines are usually  Nov 01 but some have Ot 15 or even Dec 01 deadlines.

 Dpo your research on the university website or look for my university specific post

Restrictive Early Action

The universities that  offer

One of the more confusing application options is Restrictive  Early Action ( REA). Forunately only a few  universities imp[lement this.

 Like Early Action ,     the application deadline is typically Nov 01.  the university  will respond by mid December  and you have until  May to decide.  The restriction is that one cannot apply to any other university earky decision or early action  

 The advantage of sapplying early  is that you can lock down a top university admission  by   mid december. I fone of the ZREA options  is a dream school this is worth considering.

 The disadvantages are that one does not grt the flexibility of applying early decision to one school  and early action to others.

The  six universities that have popular REA  applications are.

• Harvard University
• Yale University
•  Stanford  University
• Princeton University
•  Boston College
•  Notre Dame University
• 
  

Early Application Options

 The  Early round of the admissions season  is only a  month away. 

If you  thought  there were not enough acronyms in the admissions game you now have to familiarise yourself with the  EA/ED/RD/REA deadlines.

 The main college application  deadline is usually referred to as Regular Decision ( RD). This is typically January 01, though some schools  have February deadlines.

 If you have a clear cut dream university, considering applying early decision. Early Decision  ( ED)applications are typicalluy due by November 01.  You will know of the result by mid December. When you apply early decision the offer is binding. If accepted your next step is to send a deposit to secue your  place in the class of 2023.

 Some things to keep  in mind - because of its  binding nature you can only apply to one university early decision.   You can still apply to other schools thriugh Early Action or RD  admissions

 Early Action(EA) has a similar deadline  of  Nov 15 , although a few universities  have deadlines of October 15 ( I will be listing details  in future posts). EA decisions will also come in mid December but threy are not binding. 

In my opinion there is no down side to an EA application.     You know by mid December and will have until April to accept  which means tiy can still apply RD to several schools and  then make an informed decision in April.

 Some excellent EA options are Michigan ,  illinois, Georgia Tech,  Case Western and  Georgetown.

 Finally you havr restrictive early action ( REA. This is olowed only by  Harvard, Yale,  Princeton and Stanford.

 The application deadline remains Nov 01 but  under REA you cannopy apply to any otherED or  EA options you  need to apply to all other schools under an RD cycle.

 One advantage of REA  over  ED is that it is not binding , you still have until April  to decide.

 In short apply REA if Stanford, Yale, Harvard or Princeton is your dream university.  Otherwise consider an ED application to your dream college. keep a few EA options too.

  Otherwise apply to a few  strong EA programs and  the rest  RD.

 The advantages of an early application.

 by starting early you will be better prepared for the RD applications

•  If you get accepted to a EA option you can eliminate some colleges from your application list.
•  EA, RD, REA accveptance rates are as miuch as three times higher than RD figures.

 Further posts will gave more details.