Do Early Decision and Early Action really help?

<p>How do ED and EA increase chances of being admitted? Do they really help or just by several percents? (I'm an international student, hoping to get full scholarship, so this question is particularly about colleges which offer FA for internationals)</p>

<p>It does to some extent but if you apply to a school that your unqualified to go to because of your grades it won’t help. However if you do have the grades then it will help. It increases your chances because your competing in a very small group and your making a commitment that you will attend if you apply under ED.</p>

<p>I doubt if it helps an international looking for a full ride very much, frankly.</p>

<p>Emory Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 52%
Emory Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 23%</p>

<p>Interpret that as you may.</p>

<p>For US citizens, ED can be a nice boost. But I concur with consolation…I don’t think it is of much value to an International who needs $$. That being said, might as well throw out an SCEA somewhere.</p>

<p>while the admit numbers may be higher for EA/ED, it may also be more self-selecting and more competitive.</p>

<p>There is no doubt that ED is self-selecting (by definition), but I have yet to attend an info session where the Rep did not say that ED was not a boost. Indeed, everyone of them, including an Ivy, said that ED was a boost, to the unhooked applicant.</p>

<p>Thanks, anyone else?</p>

<p>ED is for people who want the admissions boost, and who have no financial concerns. That doesn’t sound like a good fit for you.</p>

<p>The Penn rep could not have been clearer about the fact that ED gave a boost. </p>

<p>On the other hand, I don’t think there is any admission advantage for EA in the case of MIT, and probably not for U Chicago (both are unrestricted).</p>

<p>Agree with MisterK that if you are looking for $$$, ED is not the way to go. EA, with no obligation on your part to attend, would not hurt you in this regard.</p>

<p>Midmo, you mean that applying under ED wouldn’t be a good idea for me? Could it decrease my chances or something?</p>

<p>ED won’t decrease your chances of acceptance - it will increase them. But it will lessen your chances of receiving acceptable financial aid; a lot depends on the particular schoo. In any case, since you’re only applying to one school EA, you could be left making a decision before you have other choices.</p>

<p>I haven’t decided yet about ED and EA (don’t really see what is the point of EA), I’m thinking about applying to Claremont McKenna College under ED…</p>

<p>I have a question for the readers of this thread that I believe will provide prostozina the info to make his/her decision. If an international student applies under ED, gets accepted, but does not receive sufficient financial aid to attend, can he/she apply to other universities by the regular process?</p>

<p>Psharma, I’ve read on some college’s websites that if I don’t receive sufficient financial aid, I can apply to other universities.
My question is about the worthiness of ED, I mean if it does not or slightly increase my chances, I’d rather apply under Regular Decision to compare what I get and choose what is better.</p>

<p>EA typically doesn’t, at least not at the schools that offer FA for internationals. It’s an opportunity to hear sooner. The rate is generally higher because of a more self-selecting pool including more hooked applicants (like recruited athletes).</p>

<p>ED does at some schools since it shows commitment.</p>

<p>I’ve had a thought that going early in either way can be advantageous because, in terms of building a class, the adcoms will have seen less people like you, so they will be less likely to reject you on the basis that by accepting you they will be accepting a less diverse class. But I’m not sure if that advantage actually exists.</p>

<p>Don’t ED anywhere solely for the advantage. Go ED at your first choice, if anywhere.</p>

<p>May be anyone/anything else?</p>

<p>As far as financial concerns with ED, I know CMU promises to meet 100% of need for ED applicants, whereas on average they only meet 50% of need for regular decision applicants. I’m not sure if many other universities have policies like that, though.</p>

<p>to the op: won’t help your case, international asking for aid. go for RD.</p>

<p>Yeah, I guess RD will be better for me.</p>