U of Delaware Ends Early Admissions

The University of Delaware is ending its early decision admissions option, Inside Higher Education reports.

Director of Admissions Louis L. Hirsh said in a statement to admissions officials that the University had decided that its binding early admissions option was detrimental to students who need financial aid. Binding ED programs force applicants to accept or decline admissions offers before they can compare financial aid packages from other schools.

The University of North Carolina ended its early admissions program several years ago after concluding that the program undercut UNC's goal of increasing student diversity. Several other selective schools, most notably Harvard and Yale, have gone to non-binding early action programs that allow applicants to submit regular applications to other schools and then compare admissions offers.

The University of Delaware received over 21,800 applications for fall 2006. 86 per cent of Delaware residents and 43 per cent of out-of-state applicants were accepted. 3,241 students accepted their admissions offers.

Source: "Quick Takes," Inside Higher Ed, May 30, 2006