Admissions Move Gets Attention

UNC-CH officials said last week that they would eliminate early decision applications -- which required binding commitments from accepted students -- because the process gives an unfair advantage to students from higher economic backgrounds. Under the policy, students had to submit applications by Oct. 15 and would find out if they were accepted by the end of November. Denied students were deferred.

Gretchen Bataille, UNC-system senior vice president for academic affairs, said UNC-CH's decision will probably have an effect on other schools nationwide. "To have a school the caliber of (UNC-CH) say we've looked at this and it didn't work for us and we're going to get rid of it, that has a big impact," Bataille said.

Richard Shaw, dean of admissions and financial aid at Yale University, said the university is considering revamping its admissions process and getting rid of the binding early decision policy.

He said the university is watching the actions of UNC-CH to consider the impacts of abolishing the policy.

"We continue to be very interested in the area of making changes," Shaw said.

He said Yale officials take issue with the fact that early applicants are bound to go to a school without knowing about financial aid packages.

But Shaw said the main reason for the misgivings about the early decision system is that Yale officials do not want to force students to make such an important decision under pressure.

"Our position ... is that early programs in general tend to have the impact of forcing students to decide early," Shaw said.

The University of Virginia also has a binding early decision program. Under UVa.'s policy, students who are not accepted are denied admission instead of just being deferred.

John Blackburn, dean of undergraduate admissions at UVa., said officials will not consider revamping the university's admissions policy any time soon, even though there is debate about changing the policy.

He added that the number of students admitted through the school's early decision program has been on the rise in the last decade.

Blackburn said UVa. does not intend to remove the binding aspect of its early decision program because the school is not looking to increase the number of early applicants that it receives.

"I suspect we'll keep the binding early decision program," he said.

Robert Kanoy, UNC-system associate vice president for academic affairs, said each campus is responsible for deciding which equations it uses for admissions. The UNC system sets minimum standards for acceptance.

Kanoy added that binding early decision applicants usually fall into two categories -- those who absolutely want to go to a school and those who would like to go but are more hesitant.

Kanoy said the decision to get rid of the early decision process is usually intended to make it easier for the latter group. "It's a long time from November to August," he said. "Some students will inevitably want to change their minds."

Bataille also applauded UNC-CH's decision to scrap the program. "It's a real individual decision, and students should have every opportunity to make a wise decision."

Christen Broecker contributed

to this story.

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.