U.Va. Considers Returning to Early Admission

In a proposal under consideration by the U.Va. Board of Visitors, the University of Virginia would return to a modified form of nonbinding “Early Action” (EA) admission in the fall of 2011.

According to a report from the Charlottesville Daily Progress, U.Va.’s dean of admission, Greg Roberts is proposing a retreat from the University’s earlier commitment to doing away with all forms of early application in favor of a plan that would allow students the option of receiving an earlier admissions decision they would be free to accept or reject.

U.Va. dropped binding Early Decision (ED) in the fall of 2007, and made a highly publicized move to join with Harvard and Princeton over concerns that all forms of early admission disadvantaged low-income students. The deans of all three schools have since traveled together in recruitment tours promoting "accessibility."

Under the proposal, EA applications would be due November 1st, and the university would make offers of admission by mid-December. Students would be under no obligation to accept the offers and would have until May 1st to make up their minds. Staff anticipates between 12,000 and 15,000 students would take advantage of the new plan.

“Clearly, this gives students more flexibility and freedom,” said Dean Roberts to board members attending an annual retreat in Virginia Beach.

The return to early application would also help admissions staff by encouraging students to begin the process sooner and not clogging the system by waiting until late in December to send applications.