January 21, 2000

'Early Decision' Is a Gold Rush, With Many Left Out in the Cold

By ALVIN P. SANOFF

A panicky mother called the admissions director at Middlebury College to say that her son was planning to apply to college "early decision." Under early decision, a student can apply to only one institution, but the son was considering six. To help him choose, the mother wanted to know whether Middlebury would commit to a specific financial-aid award if she were to reveal to the college official her salary and that of her husband.

The admissions director

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