Are the dual-major programs a BAD IDEA for Early Decisions?

<p>Upenn offers dual major programs such as Huntsman and Jeremy Fischer M&T, in which I can major in both Wharton and SAS/SEAS. Then on a second option, I choose one major that I would be considered for if I'm rejected from the dual major programs. But if I apply for, for example, the M&T program for Early Decision and choose Engineering as my second option, why in the world would Upenn accept me into the M&T program? It's a binding early decision, so if they reject me from M&T and accept me into Engineering, I'd have no say in this decision and I'd have to attend Upenn anyways. Instead, it's more logical for Upenn to redirect all Early Decision M&T applicants (if they're qualified) to their second choice (one major) since they have to attend Upenn no matter what, and then save those M&T spots for Regular Decision to bait highly qualified Upenn applicants who are trying to decide between Upenn and Harvard/Princeton.
So would it be a bad idea to Early Decision to Upenn on these dual major programs, or am I just paranoid? Problem is I really want to attend Upenn, but the selectivity of these dual-major programs is so high that it's a waste not to choose a second option (one major). How many people actually get into these programs during Early Decision?</p>

<p>(I realized I accidentaly put this thread in the Upenn 2012 section, please delete it admins)</p>

<p>No, don't worry about it. Dual degree programs are too big a deal for the admissions office to use them to increase their yield. That's what stuff like BFS is for.</p>

<p>It happened to someone from my school last year...she was accepted to MIT EA, but she had also applied ED to Penn and selected M&T. Thinking that it would increase her chances of acceptance to M&T, she indicated that she would attend Penn even if they rejected her M&T. So, she was bound ED to Penn, rejected from the program, and had to give up a spot at MIT engineering...</p>

<p>i'm a student in the huntsman program who got in early decision. if you are reluctant to commit to your single-degree option in the event of not getting into M&T ED, then you should not sign the ED single-degree commitment line on joint-degree supplement form. by not signing this line, Penn will consider you ED for your joint-degree program, but if you don't get into it, Penn will consider you RD for your single-degree option. by doing this, you can apply ED to M&T, but if you don't get into M&T, are still free to explore other college options through RD. best of luck</p>

<p>oh god, I'm early decisioning to MIT as well- I hope I'm not witnessing a foreshadowing of some sort. bigredsays, do you know what % of your huntsman program got admitted through Early Decision?</p>

<p>theoneo, what is BFS? And also, I think using the dual-degree programs to increase yield would benefit Upenn by an incredible amount, considering each program accepts 50-60 applicants, so 250 top-notch students who would be going to H/Y/P would be going to Upenn instead. Or is my theory still unreasonable?</p>

<p>BFS is probably Benjamin Franklin Scholars
CURF</a> - benjamin franklin scholars</p>

<p>wow mcmath has a very compelling argument</p>

<p>i have to rethink everything now</p>

<p>Bump because I have this EXACT question. I submitted ED to LSM with ED CAS as backup, but won’t that give Penn an incentive to just accept me CAS since I’ll be going anyway?</p>

<p>Anyone get into a dual degree while selecting their backup as ED binding as well?</p>