Complex Early Decision Question

Colleges & Universities A-Z Cornell University
1

<p>People who apply early decision do so because they are most interested in that specific college.</p>

<p>For Cornell, although there is a higher percent of early decision admission, is that statistic only high because there are fewer, more qualified applicants for early decision? </p>

<p>COULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO HAVE A LOWER CHANCE OF GETTING IN WITH EARLY DECISION? Read the following conditions:</p>

<p>Conditions:</p>

<li><p>Does Cornell consider the ED applicants to be one pool for which there is a predetermined amount of available spots? And then the RD applicants are another pool for which there is a predetermined amount of available spots?</p></li>
<li><p>Are people who generally apply ED SIMPLY those who are very interested in the school, or are they doing it because they feel they are STRONGER contenders for admission than those who would apply RD?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Ex. Lets say Cornell allots 400 spots for the early decision applicants, and they allot 1000 spots for RD.</p>

<p>(Using more extreme examples)</p>

<p>Applicant A is 100% qualified to get into Cornell, and he applies ED.
However, 400 other applicants (Applicants B,C,D, etc.) are also all applying ED. These applicants are all even BETTER than applicant A. (Iff Condition 2 is true, which says those who apply early decision are generally stronger competitors) </p>

<p>When Cornell Admissions compares applicant A to the other 400 applicants, they will see that A is not as good as the other applicants are, and A will not be given any one of the 400 spots. However, the ED pool will have a 400/401 admission %. Of course in real life much more than the maximum number accepted would apply, but this extreme example goes to show how ED can have a 99% acceptance rate, but only because all people who applied ED are so overqualified already and they themselves know it.</p>

<p>Instead, lets pretend the same applicant A applies regular decision. Pretend 2000 other people are applying. Now, of these 2000, only 199 are better than A, 1000 are worse, and 800 are equal. Therefore, the 1000 who are worse will be denied, and we are left with 199 better than A, 800 equal to A, and applicant A himself all being admitted. So now, statistically, there is a 50% chance of admittance, even though it is actually easier because the other people who apply are not as qualified as those who apply ED.</p>

<p>So basically, the same person (applicant A got in with RD rather than ED)</p>

<p>REMEMBER: THIS WILL ONLY BE TRUE IF CONDITIONS 1 AND 2 PRESENTED AT THE TOP ARE TRUE FOR CORNELL (OTHER OTHER COLLEGES)</p>

<p>SO…</p>

<p>… if anyone can verifiy whether or not Cornell uses seperate pools with a PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF SPOTS for ED and RD, and if those who apply ED are all generally stronger applicants than RD, that would be greatly appreciated.</p>

2

<p>No, because:</p>

<p>ED won't contain all the extremely competitive applicants because most of them might want to try their chances at other Ivies or highly selective colleges. They won't do ED because it is binding</p>

<p>Generally you have a slightly better shot at ED because it shows commitment and you don't compete with as many people. True, RD has more spots, but then you are competing with more very qualified applicants who may use Cornell as a cushion but take your spot at the same time</p>

<p>In short, if Cornell is clearly your #1, no doubt, apply ED (don;t forget fin aid issues though)</p>

3

<p>Do you suppose that at a certain point, kids who are over/well qualified to get into any Ivy of their choice will simply choose Cornell because they WANT to go there? And they will not apply ED to a better school like Harvard simply because it does not cater to their interests? </p>

<p>Those kids like that have the luxury of choosing whichever Ivy they want based on interest, not chance of admission.</p>

<p>However, if you can say that the kids like this are very rare in the ED pool, then it would be ok to apply.</p>

4

<p>wow that was complex ;)... all i know is that i'm doing ED</p>

5

<p>If you are good enough but they want someone else more and can't accept you ED they will defer you and possibly accept you RD.</p>

<p>ED acceptance rate is higher because the pool generally has more students who are personality/interest matches for cornell, and ones who have put together better applications. There is also the smaller bonus of them knowing you will come if accepted so they will go a little bit easier on you. a LITTLE bit.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Cornell tries to accept approximately 1/3 of their class ED, or 1000 students.</p></li>
<li><p>They apply because they have cornell as a top choice, want the slight admissions standards break, and because they are better matched to the school (the last of which stems from the same reasons that make it their top choice)</p></li>
</ol>

<p>The bottomline answer to your question is that if you're good enough but theres no room in the general approximation of ED spots they allot, you will get deferred to RD, not rejected. You will then still have the benefit of them knowing cornell was your top choice.</p>