MacKenzie Tobin, a senior from the tiny west Georgia town of Ellaville, said her acceptance by the University of Georgia, announced with fanfare in a surprise ceremony at her school last month, was “one of the top three events in my life.”

Her early admission puts her in a growing group. Georgia’s top universities reflect a national trend of more students taking advantage of early application options, getting their college applications in – and responses from colleges — months ahead of the normal, final deadline.

They're prompted by a number of factors. Find out what those are and learn more about the early-admission trend in our report here on myajc.com.