Instead, according to Stephen D. Singer, director of college counseling at the Horace Mann School in New York City, many students are applying early because they say they believe it will give them a better chance at being admitted.

"I think the increase in applications to Harvard is a result of what the kids are seeing in the mass media about how much of the class is filled before the regular admissions take place," Singer said. "They see the statistics that Harvard has a freshman class of 1,600 and over 1,000 are admitted early action. They do the math."

Singer said another factor is that prospective applicants feel they should apply early since their friends are doing so.

"They're looking around to kids similar to themselves and saying 'if they're doing it, than maybe I should be,'" he said.

But Harvard's published materials clearly state that "students do not increase their chances of admission by applying Early Action."

According to Fitzsimmons, the admissions officers apply the same standards for early and regular admissions.

"We have done this for many years," Fitzsimmons said. "What you're always asking yourself is 'Will you [positively] admit this candidate in April?'."