Apply ED or RD to Cornell as high reach?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm going to apply to Cornell AEM as my highest reach school. Should I apply ED or RD as a "fringe" candidate? I know how selective the AEM school is, and because of this I could utilize the Primary/Alternative option the university offers by applying to AEM as my primary and ILR as my secondary. The problem with this is that if I chose to do this I would have to submit an essay for both schools, so two rather long essays instead of one. I don't think I have enough time to do this before the Nov. 1 ED deadline.</p>

<p>So basically my question is: should I apply ED at Cornell for AEM, or wait and apply RD for AEM with ILR as an alternative?</p>

<p>I would also like to note that I'm slightly hesitant about the binding aspect of applying ED, but nonetheless will use it if it helps get me in.</p>

<p>Any thoughts?</p>

2

<p>Your last sentence says it all. If you are not 100% certain you are dying to go to Cornell, (or any particular school, for that matter), do not apply ED! Yes, colleges do accept a higher percentage of people who apply ED–we heard this from more than one admissions rep–but ED candidates also tend to be stronger than the rest of the pool. </p>

<p>A friend’s daughter apply ED to Tufts, got in unexpectedly, and had a wretched senior year because she did not want to go there. Fortunately, she loved it once she got there, but I’m not sure everyone is as fortunate.</p>

3

<p>Thank you! I think I’ll wait and work on my essays.</p>