Can I apply to the same school RD after being denied EA?

[amberd8616]

So many of the colleges I am applying to this year turn out to be target schools. I used to think that UNC-CH was one of my targets, but recently I realized that the OOS acceptance rate is very low… so, yeah. But it is now too late to find any target school for early action, so there is a good chance that I may be denied by each of my schools except the safety (PSU). I am wondering if I can apply to these schools again RD, and if being denied already will put me at a disadvantage. I am applying to UNC-CH, PSU, Duke, UT-Austin, and UMich. Please help, I am kind of freaking out

[ucbalumnus]

In EA (or ED), a college will see an applicant as one of the following:

1. Clear admit => applicant is admitted.
2. Clear reject => applicant is rejected*.
3. Borderline => applicant is deferred to RD.

*Some colleges appear to give “courtesy deferrals” to applicants who are probably clear rejects. Or, their definition of “borderline” that they give deferrals to extends far lower than the actual borderline.

Basically, it means that if you get an EA rejection, you were probably seen as a clear reject, so it is not worth trying to apply RD at the same college in the same admission cycle, if it is even allowed.

[skieurope]

@ucbalumnus

In EA (or ED), a college will see an applicant as one of the following:

1. Clear admit => applicant is admitted.
2. Clear reject => applicant is rejected*.
3. Borderline => applicant is deferred to RD.

*Some colleges appear to give “courtesy deferrals” to applicants who are probably clear rejects. Or, their definition of “borderline” that they give deferrals to extends far lower than the actual borderline.

Basically, it means that if you get an EA rejection, you were probably seen as a clear reject, so it is not worth trying to apply RD at the same college in the same admission cycle, if it is even allowed.

The tl;Dr version: no.

[VirginiaBelle]

If rejected you cannot apply again during the same admission cycle.