Admission should switch to an early action plan

Last Monday, the University Communications Office announced that early decision applications for the class of 2010 rose 9 percent from last year. The number of applicants for the Class of 2010, however, still lags behind that of other Ivy League universities. Harvard and Yale received 4,000 and 4,065 applications, respectively, while Princeton received only 2,230 applications.

Though we are delighted with the University's increasing applicant rates, we are disturbed by its continuing inability to attract early applicants at rates comparable with those of other top-tier schools. Luckily, we are not the only ones. Dean of Admission Janet Rapelye has previously suggested that the Admission Office may consider switching from early decision to a non-binding early action policy. Rapelye and the Admission Office need to act upon that thought now.

Offering a non-binding, single-choice early action admission policy will increase and diversify the current applicant pool. This option would permit applicants to apply to only one school during the early round, but does not require students to make a final decision until May 1, the national common reply date.

Like early decision, this policy requires students to seriously consider Princeton before submitting their application, allowing them to indicate a unique interest in the University. Instead of treating Princeton as just another name to cross off their to-do list, students are forced to consider if Princeton or some other school best matches their academic goals and social interests.

This sort of early action also offers students a degree of freedom and flexibility that is not found in early decision programs: Namely, it allows students the opportunity to compare financial aid offers from other institutions before committing to one school. Though Princeton offers extremely competitive financial aid packages, a binding program is still not fair to lower-income students who need the flexibility of comparing financial aid offers. Early decision inadvertently turns away students from less wealthy backgrounds because it does not offer them the opportunity to consider other ways of affording a $40,000 yearly price tag.

The University's current application rates are increasing, but the University could certainly do more to attract the best applicant pool possible. The Admission Office needs to act upon its consideration of a non-binding early action policy to attract a stronger and more diverse group of applicants.