Picking a college is one of the most nerve-wracking decisions for many high school students, yet some already have their minds set on one in particular, making their enrollment process fast, stress-free and easy.

Senior Austin Skinner has settled on the University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, as he appreciates the nearby campus and fun student events—while still being able to have a decent academic experience.

“I’ve always been an Ole Miss fan and wanted to go there. The games are pretty lit, and you don’t have to be insanely smart to get in,” Skinner said. “You can still get a good education, and it’s not far enough for my parents to not show up regularly.”

Senior Benjamin Stamps is looking forward to attending Mississippi State University, where he can enjoy the large campus and southern atmosphere. While others expected him to enroll at the University of Alabama, he ultimately decided on Mississippi State. 

“I went on multiple college tours over the spring break, and I found that Mississippi State would be my home. The people are great, down-to-earth southern guys and girls, and the large SEC presence [is] always there,” Stamps said. “Everyone was surprised that I chose Mississippi State because my parents went to Alabama, but I really fell in love with Mississippi State and what it had to offer.”

Although early decision enrollment seems like the easy route to take, it can still be a challenging decision for students to make. According to Director of College Guidance Mr. Timothy Gibson, students must take some necessary steps before choosing a college.

“Visit during your senior year, and if you can, spend the night on campus because you want to get a real feel for how the school looks and feels after hours,” Mr. Gibson said. “You need to sit in a class and see if that is what your academic experience is looking for.”

Moreover, there are both pros and cons of applying early decision since students will not have a chance to evaluate the financials. 

“The pros of early decision are knowing early, and you are finished far earlier than a lot of people. A con is you’re flying blind financially because you’re not in a position to weigh different scholarship offers,” Mr. Gibson said. “From an admissions perspective, we often discourage students from applying early decision if finance is an important part of your college search because you want to be able to weigh as many options as possible.”

As for senior Essence Davis, she learned that applying to the University of Alabama early decision was not best for her.

“[Alabama] was exactly what I wanted in a college,” Davis said. “After I got my acceptance letter, it really kicked in on how quick the process was, and I thought that I needed to take my time and look into my other options. And honestly, wherever I get the most scholarship money is where I’m going to end up.”

Davis is also interested in attending Spelman College, University of Tulsa, Agnes Scott College and Smith College.

In reality, the early decision process is for students who are, without a doubt, sure that the college that they are attending will fulfill their interests and be the perfect one.  

“Early decision is really designed for students that are 100 percent sure of where they want to be,” Mr. Gibson said. “If you are 99 percent sure, I still would not apply early.”