Read the Fine Print of Admissions Plans.

• Position: College admissions - Brief Article

High school students need to read the fine print before applying to college. Every university has its own admission plan--for example, early decision, early action, rolling--and it is important for applicants to know the differences and ramifications of each option before applying. "Once students have made some decisions about where they want to go to school, it's critical to figure out which admission plan will be the most beneficial," notes Doug Christiansen, director of admissions, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.

The early decision option is a binding agreement between the student and the university that says, if admitted, the applicant will enroll in that institution. "Students applying for early decision admissions need to understand that, if accepted, they are bound to pay their deposit and show up on campus in the fall," Christiansen points out. "Each student can have only one early decision application pending at a time, but can have regular applications pending with other schools. If granted early decision, applications with other schools have to be withdrawn."

Colleges typically let students know within a reliable and clearly stated time period whether they have been admitted, denied, or deferred to later consideration with the regular applicants. "Early decision allows for planning on the front end for both students and colleges. Admissions offices want to be able to guarantee enrollment figures as soon as possible, and many students want to have their plans in place well before the end of their senior year."

Early action allows the student to apply to his or her university of choice by a specific fall deadline, but there is no commitment to enroll if accepted. It is similar to early decision, but nonbinding. "Early action is very student oriented. It lets students know if they've been accepted very early in the process, but does not force them...