College application season is upon us, creating a frenzy of essay writing and important decisions. One of the biggest decisions you’ll likely make is whether or not to apply via early decision. If you don’t know, early decision is a binding application that allows you to receive an admissions decision earlier in the process, typically in December. You can only apply to one college via early decision, so it’s a really big choice!
In 2022 I applied to Oberlin via early decision and I haven’t looked back since! I’m hoping to share a bit of my experience to help you make your decision about whether or not early decision is right for you, as well as why I applied to Oberlin through early decision.
Gut feeling matters! In most aspects of your life people will tell you logical reasoning and research take priority over seemingly baseless gut feelings. While this can be true, I am a firm believer that gut feeling is a really good tool when it comes to making decisions. When approaching college decisions I highly recommend researching your college, visiting on campus if possible, and gathering as much information as you possibly can. After doing so, check in with your gut feeling and see how you feel! In the case of applying early decision you should try to get in tune with yourself and make sure that you feel confident about your decision. If you feel very nervous or anxious about it, it’s probably a good sign early decision isn't the right choice for you. For instance, I was of course nervous about applying to Oberlin (it was my top choice school and I really wanted to get in!) but at the same time I was positive that I wouldn’t have any regrets about applying early decision and was really really excited about finding out if I got in early!
Benefits at Oberlin! As I mentioned above, if you apply via early decision to Oberlin you get to find out in December what your admissions decision is. I really liked having the peace of mind of knowing where I was going to college so early in the year. You also get the advantage of a higher rate of admission, as well as more time being able to connect with fellow Obies online before the semester starts! When I applied, all of the early decision students even got to meet each other on a ‘zoom party’ online which was really fun and made me even more excited to get onto campus.
Why did I apply early decision? Oberlin was my top choice college for a few reasons. First, I knew that the community at Oberlin couldn’t be found anywhere else. Students are passionate, have various interests and commitments, and are engaged in not only campus life but the wider community as a whole. I was recently asked by a prospective student what the common denominator is among all Oberlin students and to that my answer is agency. Every single Oberlin student is motivated by various academic and personal interests which leads campus life to be indefinable and diverse. There aren’t ‘cliques’ at Oberlin, and community is found everywhere: classrooms, concerts, friend groups, special events, or even a table at the dining hall. Likewise, the professors you can find at Oberlin are some of the most caring and interesting people I’ve come across. I’ve had professors take me out to lunch, make me tea in office hours, send me emails with opportunities or articles related to my interests, and just in general, communicate their hope to connect with every student and share their academic experiences and passion with everyone. Lastly, the location of Oberlin was a huge factor in my choice to apply early decision. I wanted to be close to a big city, but also have a quintessential college town experience. Just like the college campus, the town of Oberlin is similarly based in a strong sense of community. There are so many events every week, the campus is beautiful across the changing seasons, and you’ll quickly become a treasured regular at your favorite restaurants in town. There’s so much to love about Oberlin, and each day I find a new reason to love it even more!
I know that deciding whether or not to apply early decision is tricky, but I hope this short blog helps you figure it out! Like I said before, my decision to apply early decision to Oberlin was one of the best I’ve made, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Best of luck with the application process!
