Wellesley Lauds Early Acceptance; Wheaton Follows 'Cliffe, Drops Plan

The Early Decision Plan, which Radcliffe will drop next year, has been found "extremely satisfactory" at Wellesley and will probably be expanded during the next few years, Barbara Clough, director of Admissions at Wellesley, said yesterday.

Up to one third of each freshman class at Wellesley is chosen under the program. Radcliffe has accepted less than a quarter of each class in December. Margeret W. Stimpson, Radcliffe Dean of Admissions, commented last month that the college academic records of these students did not justify their early acceptance.

"The situation is somewhat different at Wellesley," Miss Clough said, "because Early Decision candidates almost all do better at the college level than the normal applicants."

Asking students to apply during the spring of their junior year does not increase college pressure, said the Wellesley official, "because by that time it's already there." On the other hand, the security of early acceptance increases the value of the senior year, she stated.

Disagreeing with Wellesley's policy, Miss Barbara Ziegler, Wheaton director of Admissions, defended her school's recent decision to join Radcliffe in dropping the program. She noted that early commitment to a college limited the senior's opportunity for growth and change. "It just pushes the college anxiety complex down into the younger grades," she added.

Decreased Spring Overload

Miss Ziegler said that the colleges and high school guidance staffs originally favored the Early Decision Plan because it spread their advisory and admissions work over a longer period and decreased the spring overload.

However, many high school guidance counsellors have encouraged juniors with good records to apply early, although they are not ready to decide on a first choice, Miss Ziegler said. "This is clearly unethical and certainly limits growth during an important year," she added.

Another problem was the bitterness voiced by students who were refused under Early Decision and asked by the college to re-apply for regular admission.