Is there any point in applying EA if you don’t need Merit/Aid? Does Chicago ever accept students such as these or do they reject/defer because they assume they aren’t your first choice?
If you are unhooked (not low SES, 1stGen etc) there is really no point in EA Chicago IMO, unless you are doing the EA trio—MIT, CalTech and Chicago. But if you are hooked, yes, Chicago may show you some early love by offering EA admission.
If UChicago is your first choice and you would enroll if admitted, you should apply ED1 or ED2. If you want to compare admission and/or financial aid packages, then you should apply EA or RD. UChicago does tend to admit a good number of ED as they find a sufficient number of great-fit kids in those pools. This year we noticed “hooked” kids who didn’t get in EA and “unhooked” who got in RD so just know that UChicago isn’t necessarily relying on conventional wisdom in deciding whom to admit.
So are you better off waiting for regular decision than early action? Does early action imply to them that they are not their first choice in a way that regular decision does not?
Unrestricted EA implies that you are using UChicago as a backup, IMO its worse than RD. If you like Chicago why not just ED; you can always back out if the financial package they offer turns out to be unaffordable.
because it is a backup. otherwise, you would ED. What’s the point of having EA? I guess it’s only to attract financial aid applicants?
Both EA and RD signal to the Admission Office that UChicago is not your first choice school. There is nothing wrong with that preference. You can put UChicago as your fifth or fiftieth choice and still choose to EA there.
EA is for the AO to tell you that they really want you. Since EA is not binding, if you are accepted EA, you can have extra three month to think over whether UChicago is the right school for you.
Most EA applicants based on anecdotal evidence seem to be deferred to the RD pool.
“If you like Chicago why not just ED; you can always back out if the financial package they offer turns out to be unaffordable.”
- UChicago meets full demonstrated need and your parents need to sign the ED agreement (as does your GC). One should only do ED if the school is a clear first choice. If you "like" the school but aren't sure that it's your first choice, you aren't going to want to ED because they require you to commit very early on - well before you can see any fin. aid. packages (or RD acceptances, for that matter).