ED is becoming a way to manage enrollment in times of high flux, says Douglas Christiansen, vice provost for enrollment and dean of admissions at Vanderbilt University, which generally admits about a third of its freshman class during two ED rounds. For the first, applications are due November 15 and processed by mid-December, and the second has a January 1 deadline with mid-February notification.

　　Douglas Christiansen是范德比尔特大学的招生院院长及入校登记部副教务长，他认为，在入学高峰阶段，提前决定不失为一个有效的应对方法;过去的两轮提前决定项目中帮他收录的近1/3的新生。第一轮截止于11月15日，在12月中旬前完成删选; 第二轮截止于1月1日，2月中旬公示结果。

　　Early decision applicants can't automatically assume a lowered bar; Miami University in Ohio offers them no special advantage, for example, and Wake Forest University characterizes any edge as slight. But as a strategic move, ED can make good sense for students who know what they want and "may not have all the A's, the scores, the activities, or the talent," says Taylor.

　　提早决定的申请者不能期望学校为他们降低门槛;比如说，提早决定申请俄亥俄州的迈阿密大学并不能享受任何优惠，类似地，维克森林大学也没有给予多少特殊照顾。然而作为一项战略措施，对于有些学生来说，提早决定还是个不错的选择。这些学生，正如Taylor形容的那样：未必课业全优，未必活动能力超群，也未必天赋秉义，但却很清楚自己想要什么。

　　Many institutions readily acknowledge that their early acceptance rates are higher than for regular admissions. At Vanderbilt, 15 percent of those who apply for regular admissions are accepted, compared to 25 percent who make the cut in the early decision pools. The former are more competitive, with the middle 50 percent scoring 1450 to 1590 on the two primary parts of the SAT and 32 to 35 on the ACT, compared to the early-bird middle 50 percent, who came in at 1380 to 1510 and 31 to 33. Bates takes 43 percent of its early decision pool and 24 percent of regular applicants. Lafayette College in Easton, Pa., most recently admitted 64 percent of those who applied early decision, compared to 37 percent of the regular pool.

　　很多院校都大方承认，他们在处理提前批学生的申请时，通过率会高于常规申请者。在范德堡大学，提前批的录取率为25%，常规批的为15%。而后者的竞争力其实更强，其中成绩居中的50%的学生，他们SAT两个大题的分数在1450-1590之间;ACT的两大题的分数为32-35。对比之下，提前批被录取的学生里成绩居中的50%，相对应的分数仅为1380-1510和31-33。贝茨学院对于提早决定的申请者录取率是43%，而常规申请者只有24%。相类似的，Lafayette College in Easton, Pa.,最近一轮录取提前批和常规批的对比数据为64%和37%。

　　The big hitch with binding early decision is that students hoping for the best possible financial aid package won't be able to compare offers, which are made in March. When an award turns out to be too skimpy, schools will typically release you from your commitment. But by then it may be too late to apply elsewhere.

　　义务型提早决定的一个短板在于，如果学生寄希望于找一所能提供理想财政补助的学校，那他会发现其实他没办法直观地比较各个机会，因为“橄榄枝”要到3月才能收到。一旦发现奖学金拮据，校方是会解除你的一定要要入学的义务的。但往往这个时候为时已晚，其它学校已经申请不到了。

　　While financial aid offices will typically estimate your share of costs before you apply, being proactive is key. Call up "and say, 'These are my numbers, can you give me a rough estimate?'" advises Barry Baker, director of college Counseling at the California Academy of Math and Science in Carson.

　　当财政补助部为潜在申请者预算他那份开支时，你作为准申请者，最关键就是要做到“主动”。主动致电并告知他们：“这些是我能提供的数据，你们能给我一个大概的估算吗?”以上便是Barry Baker的建议;他是加利福尼亚大学数学和科学院的大学咨询部主管。