Many selective institutions, including most of the private colleges in Massachusetts, admit nearly half of their incoming classes through early decision — a binding application that all but guarantees the applicants will attend. It’s a benefit to students who can commit to a college early and pay the tuition and fees — like NYU’s $90,000-a-year price tag — before seeing a financial aid package.
But among the highly selective Massachusetts colleges that report their admission rates, they appear to be offering more seats to early decision applicants over the past decade, not fewer.
