Why Diego Gomez ’29 applied early

For Diego Gomez ’29 of Batavia, Illinois, applying Early Decision to Augustana College came down to several factors, including financial aid and the opportunity to join a welcoming campus community.

“I applied Early Decision for, like, a lot of different reasons. I suppose one of the big ones would be financial aid,” Diego said.

Since arriving at Augustana, he has found a community that stands out for its kindness, positivity and connections among students.

“Community is so important, and I feel it’s unique to these small schools,” he said. “Everyone has this collective mind of just overall kindness and positivity that I'm not too sure you're going to find everywhere.”

For students considering Early Decision, Diego encourages them to take the time to research their options, visit campus and talk with alumni, faculty and current students before making their choice.

“When you feel 100% positive and you're like, ‘Yes, this is right,’ after doing your research, doing your visits, talking to alumni, teachers and other students, then I'd say, just go for it,” he said. “That's, I guess, the best piece of advice I could give to anyone.”