While many seniors cram for their final college application due dates, some already finished early and are anxious to leave.

Usually, there are different application deadlines for certain college admission conditions. One of them includes early decision, in which once someone applies and is accepted, they are required to attend that college.

This is different from early action since early decision is binding while early action is not. It is a way for students to find out their acceptance status earlier and to possibly show greater interest for a certain college.

However, deadlines for these applications are, as named, earlier, so students have to make decisions whether they are willing to dedicate their next few years there, regardless of other school opportunities.

Many students at Granite Bay High School have made the choice and have chosen to take the early decision and action route.

GBHS senior Cole Pautsch was accepted into the Air Force Academy towards the end of October, as his parents woke him up in the morning reading his awaited acceptance letter to him.

Pautsch has always been interested in the United States military, and here was a chance he couldn’t pass up.

“I’ve had the desire to serve my country for my whole life, but I’ve been set on the Air Force since April,” Pautsch said. “That’s when I realized that my dream of flying fighter jets could really come to fruition.”

Chances to achieve life-long goals, like this, are hard to come by, so Pautsch made his decision and took the next step into becoming a part of the Air Force.

Other students, like GBHS senior Tyler Soares, have not yet received their anticipated letters of acceptance since many come out in mid-December.

Soares just recently added Cornell University to his college radar and after his mid-September visit, he made it a serious prospect.

“When I visited Cornell, I immediately knew it was the right place for me,” Soares said. “The campus was very open and rural compared to some other colleges I toured.”

He also had some conversations with attending students and said they all had similar values and attitudes that made him feel welcomed and right at home.

“I was fortunate enough to meet a few current students, and they were all extremely passionate and easy-going,” Soares said.

After that visit, he applied early decision to Cornell University and says he is hoping for good news. However, he is still unprepared for the New York weather.

“I’m definitely ready to leave the west coast. I’m just not sure about the two degree weather Ithaca had about two weeks ago,” Soares said.

GBHS senior Oliver Whitters, who is also applying to Ivy Leagues, is also nervous about the frigid weathers in the East.

“I don’t know if I am ready or not.” Whitters said. “We’ll just have to find out.”

Whitters also applied early decision, but to University of Pennsylvania for their top tier business program.

“I am dead-set on being a business major and Penn is the best school for doing so,” Whitters said. “I could picture myself spending four years there, and in addition, their core curriculum really cemented my decision.”

Not only is Whitters focused on the academic aspect of UPenn, but also its entirety.

“The community-based efforts Penn requires from everybody means a lot to me because I pride myself in doing right in the community,” Whitters said.

GBHS College and Career Counselor Cindi Underwood says that early decision is a great way to apply for students who already know their top college.

“If you’re a really strong student and its your number one school, I strongly recommend early decision since it eliminates all other applications,” Underwood said.

Students often say that if they get into their early decision college, they will be effusive with happiness. However, senior Soares says after he screams of joy, he is mostly excited to top it all off with college clothes.

“I’m going to be more than ecstatic if I get into Cornell,” Soares said. “But let’s be honest, I’m going straight to its student store and ordering tons of Cornell gear, because who doesn’t love college clothes?”