The New York Times: "In a proposed agreement announced this month to answer Justice Department antitrust accusations, the National Association for College Admission Counseling said it would allow its member college and university counselors to recruit students even after they have committed to another school and would permit members to encourage students to transfer after they have already enrolled ... Now, colleges will be free to offer perks, like special scholarships or priority in course selection, to early-decision applicants, students who are less likely to need tuition assistance and use the process to secure a spot at their first-choice schools ... Institutions will also be able to continue recruiting students beyond a widely applied May 1 deadline that is typically imposed for students."
"The changes stand to shake up the admissions process in the next year, affecting some colleges’ ability to predict the size of their freshman classes while allowing some students to benefit from competitive financial aid packages, or even bargain for assistance right up until they walk onto a campus ...In a statement, Makan Delrahim, the assistant attorney general who leads the antitrust division, called the settlement 'a victory for all college applicants and students across the United States who will benefit from vigorous competition among colleges for their enrollment'.”
"Higher education experts anticipate that the changes will be mostly felt by smaller or less-selective institutions, many of which are already forecasting enrollment losses because of a looming 'demographic cliff' from falling birthrates and diminishing interest from foreign students. Institutions may also have a harder time predicting their fall enrollment, and that uncertainty could affect their ability to pull from waiting lists or project how many students they lose over the summer."