<p>Princeton is a damn good school but my respect would increase dramatically if they like Harvard SCEA also eliminate ED. Do they have courage to eliminate ED and show the world that they can retain number one position?</p>
<p>I am sure they can compete with Harvard in an open competition without ED. In an open competition the yield will give a better ranking then given by the current scenario shielded by ED. Princeton could prove everyone wrong that it does not need ED to shy away from the competitions.</p>
<p>I agree EA will be an option too at least they are allowing its applicant chance to try to go and see whether students can apply to Harvard. If Princeton does eliminate ED, then they prove and rightfully claim that they are in neck in neck with Harvard or even better (based on yield) to attract the best mind. Harvard cannot claim that it has no chance to poach Princeton early-admitted candidate. Harvard does allow them to poach its own candidate who applies in SCEA round. </p>
<p>However, if Princeton cannot eliminate ED, then logically Princeton is not in the league of Harvard. My thinking will be that forget Harvard, they do not have right to compete with Yale, Stanford and MIT. Since Yale, Stanford and MIT have allow its early admit to apply in Harvard and vice versa. I am hoping Princeton shows that it does not shy away from Harvard’s maneuvers, hide behind ED, and still claim that they are number one school.</p>
<p>Harvard has challenged them and princeton need to respond.</p>
<p>I am 100% sure that princeton is the school which can compete with Harvard as there math/science and humanities department are excellent and second to none. princeton offers a better focus on undergard. This makes them more attractive. Let us see what they do.</p>
<p>What merit they will be, Princeton need to spell those merits out in the public. Harvard has challenged them so they need to take a bite and spell it. I am sure majority of CC users have mind to grasp and understand if Princeton come out with genuine reasons. However, I do not see even one reason for it? This is a war and Princeton needs to show what is the logic for satying in and out of ED? They need to go to NY times and show what they have.</p>
<p>The concept is that those students certain of their choice of a certain school can make a comitment to attend and aply early, thus increasing their chances of admission due to the more limited pool and the desire of hte University to increase yield. Thus both the student and the University gain. The only students who do not gain from the system are those who have not yet decided where they wish to apply. While its unfortunate for them that they don't have the same advantage, the advantage is not something that should necesarily be had by all- that is, its a reward for a comittment. Arguments based on financing are weak in the case of Princeton because of their highly generous financial aid program including an early estimator.</p>
<p>being an immigrant, english is my second langauge. I hope people can speak second language they learned in their adult life the way I have. Forget finanacial aid arguments. I am not talking about any kids who need aid. I am talking about the chance to attract the best minds. If those kids love princeton that much, then let it be an EA and give them chance to apply in RD round to other schools have chance to poach them. ED is binding and eleiminates competitons. It does not allow others a chance to comepete. After the Hravard steps what do you think?
Could Princeton claim your arguments and publish in NY times the way you have presented it?
That is what harvard took the high raod and princton has to respond?</p>
<p>Stockmarket, it's not just Harvard who has challenged Princeton. Harvard, Yale, Stanford and MIT made the challenge against the antiquated ED practice years ago.</p>
<p>Could princton compete agianst HYMS without ED? This is the real question and princeton need to responds in no less than NY times? Spell their theories why kids love them and they do not show mutaul trust to their brilliant minded kids by an open early policy? Are they afraid that all brilliant kids will leave to HYMS? This can only be proven by action not by words alone that princton does not need ED to attrract the most brilliant mind in USA and the world. This is time princeton needs to eliminate ED and show that it actions are backed by open policy.</p>
<p>look, i generally agree with you, stock, but i think you're taking your competitive analysis a little to far. keep in mind that just a few years ago, harvard switched from the more student-friendly open EA to the more restrictive SCEA, when other elites were moving in the opposite direction (ED to SCEA). this did not necessarily signal any shying away from competition on harvard's part. in the same way, harvard's current about-face doesn't necessarily represent some throwing down of the gauntlet to its peers. while i'd like to see princeton move to SCEA or even abolish early admissions altogether, i don't feel like it's under any immediate pressure to do so in order to avoid embarrassment or some such. but i'm encouraged by the openness that princeton administrators have already expressed to the idea, unlike their counterparts at yale, despite being so eager to trumpet their SCEA "reform" just a couple years ago.</p>
<p>I think Princeton will be fine without ED. How many kids Harvard stole from YMS - not many. I think by switching to SCEA or EA, princeton will take away the Harvard high morale argument away. </p>
<p>Afterall princeton Economics, math, physisc and other departments are second to none. ORFE is very good place and engineering is way higher tahn H or Y. Princeton will be always in top, so why loose to harvard's game of high moral ground by abandoing ED. Just take the ball to them and show them they can attract anyone. It is not about Harvard. It is About princeton that they are ready to go ahead with any one challenging them.</p>
<p>lol how would switching to EA take away the Harvard high morale? It wouldnt at all, since Harvard's current policy is even more progressive than EA. The switch to EA will only raise princeton to the level of YSM in the way it treats its applicants.</p>
<p>Pton will do whatever they want. I would prefer them to continue ED and assemble classes as the current system allows. When a stellar kid applies ED, he says Pton is clearly #1. If they switch to RD, that kid will be swept up with a lot of kids who are just applying to cover their behinds. I don't know how an admission office that lets in 50% of the class before Xmas will now let in 100% in the regular round. I think the system will choke with applications. Remember all of those H, Y and P early applicants who were accepted sent either none or very few applications once accepted. Now those same will spew thousands of applications with very impressive credentials. Estimating yield will be a crap shoot. The superstar who wanted to go to H Y or P had a better chance of getting his one school dream than the proposed system. The system had 3 months to analyze the borderline cases. Now it is chaos with the staff not increasing and more applications in less time.</p>
<p>It's worth noting that Princeton used to have early action. It switched in 1995 to ED, claiming it was more beneficial to students. A similar thing happened at Brown. The main problem, I think, was that admissions was absolutely flooded with early applications. Without moving the deadline up or employing cutoffs, one wonders how Harvard admissions will cope with the increased number of RD applications.</p>
<p>I have to tell you, at Princeton, unlike other schools perhaps, people are not sitting around feeling like competition with Harvard and proving that they are the "better" school is the big issue. That's one thing that differs between Princeton and Yale, lack of strong direct rivalry. If Harvard does something, Princeton does not immediately respond. </p>
<p>What's to prove, in the end? It's apples to oranges.</p>
<p>When we went for college tour, the guide told us that Princeton is better than Harvard is. Many local kids who go to Princeton told us, that P is better than Harvard is. They told us that kid should not go to Harvard, as it has no school spirit. Harvard has no focus on undergrads. </p>
<p>I would be dishonest to deny that other schools also did not say similar things about competition. I think it is part of life as grass is always greener on other side. However, there is not much difference in these colleges in terms of what they offer and have the resources. </p>
<p>It is not about apple to orange, it is about bragging rights and a friendly competition. I think old football rivalry has still fun about it.</p>
<p>By the way on side note, how your kid is doing at P.</p>
<p>That's a college tour. Probably someone asked how to compare the schools. I promise you that in my experience 30 years ago I never even thought about Harvard. Nor does my kid think about Harvard. Not one bit. </p>
<p>Football rivalry might be fun for some but personally I chose Princeton because it really doesn't focus on rivalry. Harvard has Yale. Stanford has Cal. Princeton doesn't have a rivalry. Penn tries to stir one up, but Princeton kind of giggles. Read the Prince, you will see what I am talking about.</p>