National Association for College Admission Counseling

Approves Adding Single-Choice Early Action Option

Association will develop new SCEA definition in 2005

Alexandria, VA (October 7, 2004) — The 212-member Assembly of the National

Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) voted at its 60th National

Conference earlier this month in Milwaukee, WI, to approve the addition of a “Single-Choice Early Action” (SCEA) category in NACAC’s Definitions of Admission Decision Options. The definitions are referenced in NACAC’s Statement of Principles of Good Practice (SPGP), the organization’s statement of ethical practices.

This policy move means that, in the future, students and families may see more colleges and universities participate in Early Action restrictive or non-restrictive options.

For the association, the vote means that NACAC’s Admission Practices Committee will be charged with defining “Single-Choice Early Action,” for consideration by the Assembly delegates at the 2005 national conference in Tampa, FL. The “Definitions of Admission Decision Options in Higher Education” currently includes explanations of all admission plans, including Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, Rolling Admission and Wait Lists. The current definition of Early Action allows students “to apply Early Action to other colleges without restriction.” Defining the option of Single-Choice Early Action will establish the language as an enforceable aspect of association membership policy. Read more about the “Definitions of Admission Decision Options in

Higher Education” on the NACAC Web site at www.nacac.com/policies.html.

NACAC seeks to provide clarity and transparency in the admission process. This task has become increasingly more complex as some selective colleges and universities move to Single-Choice Early Action, which typically restricts students to one early plan application.

These SCEA plans differ slightly from one another, increasing the challenges the

Admission Practices Committee will face in developing a common definition. NACAC Executive Director Joyce Smith explained that currently each of the fewer than 10 schools with a restrictive Single-Choice Early Action or restrictive Early Decision plan has created policies that work specifically for its institution. For example, one institution’s plan allows applicants to apply to its binding Early Action program, but does not allow student to apply Early Action or Early Decision to any other school. Another Single-Choice Early Action plan allows applicants to apply to one public institution’s nonbinding Early Action program. Yet, both of these programs are called Single-Choice Early Action plans.

“Despite the challenges in developing a policy that we all can agree on, the members of the Admission Practices Committee will come together to develop common criteria that will work equally well for each institution, but particularly for the students who are considering attending them,” added Peter Caruso, associate director of admission at Boston College (MA) and incoming chair of the NACAC Admission Practices Committee.

Robin Brown, vice president for enrollment at Willamette University (OR) and NACAC vice president for admission, noted the landscape has changed in the year since NACAC issued its enforcement moratorium on Early Decision and Early Actions to sort out the issue. “The [Admission Practices] committee does recognize that the admission marketplace changes rapidly, and if the sea tide has shifted in terms of opinions on this matter, then the committee is very willing to weigh other options or motions,” she said. “The committee’s ultimate goal is to try to reach membership consensus on the matter of EA/ED definitions.”

NACAC’s outgoing President Keith White commended the Assembly for moving the discussion of early plans closer to a resolution. “NACAC continues its work as an inclusive membership association that contends with issues that seem to have no common ground,” White said. “And, yet, we’re able to provide a forum for debate in which all points of view are shared—and ensure that the interests of prospective students will be best met at all institutions.”

For more information, contact Shanda T. Ivory, NACAC director of communications at 703/299-6803 or sivory@nacac.com.

For a copy of NACAC’s guide to policies at 378 institutions with early plans, contact NACAC at 800/822-6285.