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RELEASED: Sept. 26, 2002
DANVILLE, KY—Centre College announced today that it has dropped the long-held Early Decision program in favor of a more open and straightforward approach to the college application process.
Early Decision is an application program in which students attempt to secure admission early in the winter of their senior year in return for a pledge to withdraw applications at other institutions if they're accepted by the Early Decision school.
"We decided that Early Decision at Centre was contributing to a confusing state of affairs in college admission today. We don't want to be a part of that," said J. Carey Thompson, dean of admission and student financial planning.
Early Decision programs, typically sponsored by the most competitive colleges in the country, have come under fire in the press and in the college guidance community as increasingly unfair and biased.
Many of the most selective institutions seek to "lock in" students in the early stages of the senior year in order to reduce the number of available slots in the traditional Regular Decision period of late winter and spring. Many believe that most high school seniors are not served well by such plans. Students, as a result, feel pressured into applying Early Decision to a given college and making an early commitment because that college has become extremely selective during the Regular Decision phase. Further, Early Decision students typically will not have an opportunity to compare financial aid and scholarship awards between colleges.
Centre will continue giving interested students a less-confusing option to learn about admission, scholarships and financial aid without making any commitments until the traditional May 1 National Candidates Reply Date.
For an application timetable at Centre, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/admission/howtoapply.html#Anchor-Application-49575.
To learn more on Centre's application process, call (800) 423-6236 or go to http://www.centre.edu/web/admission/index.html.
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Communications Office
Centre College
600 W. Walnut Street
Danville, KY 40422
Public Information Coordinator: Telephone 859-238-5714