So I saw a post about EDing to Cornell dated back to 2010. In the post, the author claimed that applying ed doe not give you a boost to admission; in fact, it’s going to lower yours. I find that really interesting. Cuz I always thought that the whole point of ED is showing your commitment in order to get a higher chance. Especially in a time where colleges care so much about their yield rates (and perhaps money and commitment this year)
So I just wanna know that post still holds true or does ED indeed give you a boost?
Ok, ED giving you a lesser chance is completely wrong-----even at schools like the Ivies that don’t consider demonstrated interest, applying ED boosts your chances b/c it is the ULTIMATE form of demonstrated interest: you’re telling a school that if you admit me, I’ll go, and to the school, you’re a sure-fire way to keep their yield rate high (i.e. why most T20s accept ~1/2 their class ED.) I’m all for applying ED to a school as long as all of the following are true:
You LOVE Cornell and would 110% attend if admitted. Keep in mind that you won't just be attending Cornell but be a resident of Ithaca---it's not the best place for everyone, just like New York City or LA for someone who likes living in a smaller town.
You're extremely confident you can present a well thought out and crafted application by the ED deadline. You only get one shot to apply to Cornell this year, so make sure you're putting your best foot forward. Typically, ED/EA is for students who have strong junior year grades and don't need the added semester to help support their application.
Most importantly, you and your family can afford Cornell if admitted. Run the FA calculators if applicable, but keep in mind that they are ESTIMATES, not guarantees of aid---and that NPCs typically break down for international students or unusual financial circumstances (non-custodial parents, business owners etc.)
Well, I would definitely attend Cornell if I am admitted. And the tuitions shouldn’t be a problem. But having a senior year grade will definitely do good on my grade. I lived in CA so I don’t have a decent SAT yet, and my GPA will get a boost as well. But I think I will apply for ED anyway. I mean it couldn’t hurt to have an extra chance right?
Oh, I have 3.84 as of junior year. I bombed my freshman year grade so it’s pretty bad. But if have the senior year grade my weight will be at the 90th percentile in school.
Being in the top 10% of your school is beneficial if your school posts ranks onto your transcript. Your guidance counselor would be the most knowledgeable about your school’s curriculum and policies, so I’d recommend talking to them to assess your chances, especially if your school has sent students to Cornell or similar schools in the past.
Ty good advice. Pretty sure my school doesn’t rank. Around 20people applied each year and only 2-3 people get in. So it’s definitely a high reach for me haha.
A long time ago, by now, I attended a Cornell College of Arts & Sciences info session with my son.
The admissions person said the college more often rejects not-admitted ED applicants rather than deferring them to the RD round. When asked why, she said to the effect of, “If they can’t even obviously make the cut for the ED round, what chance would they have in RD?” Clearly indicating to me that the RD round was much more competitive.
The individual colleges may not all operate the same way, and this was probably over ten years ago.
Kids consistently overvalue the importance of yield to top 20 colleges.
Yes- it’s great that a school is your first choice, and that you’ve told the college “if admitted I will attend”. But that’s nowhere near as compelling to them as it is to colleges ranked 108 or 150 (where it really, really, really is important).
$ as in revenues are an issue for every school. Specifically, I recently was on a zoom call with the dean of ILR School and he mentioned briefly about the need for revenue, as they receive part of their funding from the state, which may be reduced, and the possibility that students may need more financial aid.
I was thinking about that too. I hope not. I know the university wants geographical diversity. For the state contract colleges NY state residency also gives you a bump in admissions too.