Debate.

• Author: Fitzsimmons, William

Yes

Last year, we eliminated early admissions--a key step in creating a more level playing field for all applicants and reforming an admissions process that has spun out of control in recent years.

The students who apply early are more likely to be affluent, savvy about the process, and attend high schools with resources to help them assemble their college applications.

Early-admission rates at selective colleges are often higher than during the regular admissions cycle, so the system gives an additional leg up to applicants who already have an advantage in the process.

Furthermore, since many colleges require students who apply early to commit to attending that school if admitted, applying early means that applicants cannot compare financial-aid offers from different schools. This puts low-income students at a disadvantage.

There are also huge inequities among high schools in the amount of support that guidance counselors are able to give students who are applying to college. Some high schools are facing such severe economic challenges that they've eliminated college counseling entirely. Given this environment, anything we can do to simplify the application process ends up helping both counselors and students.

Too many students rush to apply for early admission before they have determined which college is the best match for them. Ending early admissions will help restore some sanity to a process that seems more pressured every year.

--WILLIAM FITZSIMMONS

Dean of Admissions, Harvard College

NO

Early-admission programs, when used properly, have advantages for both students and colleges.

For high school students who are certain of their first-choice college, applying early tells colleges how much they want to attend a particular school. This kind of enthusiasm can help distinguish an applicant.

Furthermore, being admitted early--decisions are mailed by early February--to one's first-choice college can make for a less anxiety-ridden and more productive...