Introduction: We, concerned American high school students and parents, are petitioning top US universities and colleges to abandon the practice of restrictive early admission (REA, SCEA, and ED) due to its negative impact on fair access to higher education.

Background Information: Historically, restrictive early admission practices were designed to offer a higher chance of admission to early applicants, typically admitting 20-40% of early applicants. However, recent trends show a significant decline in admission rates during early application rounds, particularly among prestigious institutions like Harvard, Stanford, and Duke, which now only admit 9-13% of early applicants.

Issue at Hand: The current landscape of early admissions has evolved into a monopolistic practice, benefiting only a select group of applicants, such as wealthy donors, legacy families, and student athletes, while providing little advantage to the majority of high school applicants.

Goals of the Petition:

1. Advocate for fairness and equal opportunities in college admissions.
2. Call for an end to restrictive early admission practices that do not significantly increase admission rates (below 30%) for early applicants.

Reasons for Abandonment:

1. Limited Advantage: For the majority of applicants, early admission no longer provides a substantial advantage in gaining acceptance to top colleges.
2. Monopolistic Trends: Restrictive early admission practices are becoming monopolistic among top colleges, contributing to an unfair advantage for certain applicant groups.
3. Anti-Trust Concerns: These practices may raise concerns under relevant anti-trust laws due to their monopolistic nature and potential harm to fair competition.

Call to Action: 

We urge top US universities and colleges to:

1. Abandon restrictive early admission practices that do not yield admission rates of 30% or higher for early applicants.
2. Implement fair and transparent admission policies that prioritize merit, diversity, and equal opportunities for all applicants.

Conclusion:

By signing this petition, you stand for fairness and equity in college admissions, ensuring that all deserving students have an equal chance to pursue higher education based on their merits and achievements.

Thank you for supporting this crucial cause for the benefit of current and future generations of students.