While other seniors were applying and awaiting notification in November, senior Becca Clancy had already been accepted to Kansas State University and had even chosen her roommates.

Clancy applied to K-State in mid-spring of her junior year and was accepted within a month. Early decision requires students who apply early and are accepted to send in a nonrefundable deposit to insure their enrollment and to withdraw applications to any other college. Luckily for Clancy, K-State was her first and only choice.

“I was sure I wanted to go there,” Clancy said. “I fell in love with the campus on my first tour, and it’s the perfect distance from home.”

Colleges accept, reject or defer early applications. Deferred applications are held over and added to the regular batch. Regular application deadlines at the same schools offering early decision are usually a month later, and regular notifications arrive about April 1.

After receiving her acceptance early, Clancy began finding her roommates almost immediately through an app called Room Surf.

“You take some personality quizzes and they match you up with people you’re similar to,” Clancy said.

Several DHS seniors, convinced of the advantages of early decision and hoping for a more relaxed final semester, have applied to college early, counselor Crissy Johns reports.

“We have a handful of procrastinators, but most of our students get it done,” Johns said. “The biggest thing is kids doing their research to find out what their deadlines are. I would say the kids that have put it off and haven’t looked into what they want to do will have a lot of stress and anxiety because everybody is always asking them what they’re going to do or where they’re going to go and they don’t know.”

According to Johns, applying early is only best when a student is sure they have a good chance getting into a certain school, like Clancy.

Princeton college counselor, Benjamin Caldarelli, said in an interview on Unigo, a college advice website, “At some schools, the percentage of students admitted who applied early is higher than those that applied during regular admission. It never hurts to let a school know it is your first choice.”

“It’s nice knowing [you’re accepted] early so you have plenty of time to plan ahead for your education,” Clancy added. “I’d say apply as early as you can.”