Let’s say, hypothetically, I apply to a college ED and I get deferred. Are my chances of getting accepted through ED II OR RD still as high as it would be if I didn’t apply ED?
Wouldn’t the applying-ED, getting-deferred, re-applying routine tell the college that they are truly your first choice, and work for you instead of against?
Also, is it unreasonable to apply ED, and (if deferred) apply ED II? Would this show desperation?
<p>bump . . . .</p>
<p>You'll have to check each school's website, but I don't think you can apply ED II if you've been deferred under ED I. </p>
<p>In most cases if you have been deferred, your chances RD aren't so great. Having expressed a strong interest in the school by applying ED might help around the edges. The best thing you could do to help your chances in the RD round would be to get great grades first semester senior year.</p>
<p>Are you saying that if you have been defered, your RD chances aren't great purely from a logical stand point?</p>
<ol>
<li>Are you saying that if your credentials were not strong enough to be accepted ED, it won't be strong enough for RD either?</li>
</ol>
<p>-OR-</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Are you saying that there is a psycological impact on the adcoms when they realize that you've been deferred ED, thus reducing your chance for getting in under the thought: "If we didn't accept him ED, why should we accept him RD..hmm"</p></li>
<li><p>or 2.?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>The reason I ask is because my friend thinks #2, and I'm deeply reconsidering applying ED to my far-reach top choice.</p>
<p>I'm saying most likely you will fall within #1. You can improve your chances by showing great first semester grades senior year. #2 doesn't make sense to me at all.</p>
<p>Good. It doesn't to me either.</p>
<p>If you get deferred from EA or ED, there is a very unlikely chance you will be accepted RD because if your credentials weren't enough to get in early they probably won't be enough later when there is even stiffer competition.</p>
<p>That is wholly untrue reptile, often times schools may be hesitant to accept students early if only for the fact that they don't know what the full roster of RD applicant may be. This is often more prevalent among the mid-lower level schools though, since their application pools vary more than Princeton's perse.</p>
<p>It depends on the school--
Harvard, for example, doesn't accept that many deferred candidates in the RD round. Meanwhile Yale deferred applicants have like a 14% chance regular in recent years, compared to, like 8% of plain RD candidates. </p>
<p>If you have an absolute #1 school, don't worry about all this and just apply early (assuming you don't have financial factors, etc. that might limit you). I wouldn't say that applying early hurts your chances. For the most part, it helps. Please stop trying to outsmart the system and just go with what your heart says.</p>
<p>And actually, I think the opposite of #2 is true. They don't think "oh if he isn't good enough for ED he's not good enough for RD" more likely, they think "he was interested enough to apply ED, so if we accept him RD, he's probably more likely to attend than another RD candidate who didn't apply early"</p>
<p>Sometimes a school likes you, and wants you, but there is only so many people they can take early. If they wanted to fill their whole class with early candidates, the class would still be well-qualified and talented. But they can't, so they have to wait and see. I think there is a "polite deferral" where they already know you're going to be rejected later, and there is a "we'll probably take him as long as someone EXTREMELY amazing doesn't comes along RD"</p>
<p>It also pays to write a followup letter after a deferral, so you can update them on your recent accomplishments and show that you're still interested/that they're still your #1. It's a big yield game and they want more people to go. So if you write a letter saying "I'll definitely attend if you accept me" you get a little bonus.</p>
<p>That was what I initially thought. Thank you very much for clarifying. I'll be sure to apply to my top-choice school early without any reservations.</p>