Let’s assume that my profile is competitive for top 20 schools. But I do not know whether I should reach for the stars and apply Restrictive ED or EA to MIT/Stanford. I am told that applying early gives a slight boost to your chances of admissions, so I am wondering whether I should use my ED on a more reasonable reach but also very selective school like Cornell/Brown.
We (and you) can make no such assumption.
If you have a clear favorite, and have run the NPC, and your parents are comfortable with the result, apply early to your top choice. Both Stanford and MIT have said that REA/EA provides no boost. Any variation in acceptance rates at those unis between EA and RD after backing out legacy/athletes/other preferred applicants (more applicable to Stanford) is likely due to the strength of individual applications.
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If you are applying ED or REA to any school, it should be your top choice (meaning if you got into every school you could possibly apply to, you would always choose it), and it should be affordable. It should not be used solely for any perceived advantage. Edited to say ED only. Oops on the REA inclusion. Binding ED should only be done for the previously stated reasons.
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EA, restricted or not, doesn’t have to be your first choice. There are lots of good reasons to turn down an EA admission.
Note that Brown’s website states ED doesn’t provide an admissions boost:
“Please do not assume that your admission chances are improved by applying under the Early Decision plan. The Board of Admission makes the same decisions under Early Decision that it would under the Regular Decision plan.”
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Why would you apply ED and commit to attending a school that’s not a clear first choice? There’s no value in “at least I got in somewhere early”.
Fwiw, EA makes no such commitment - I see no reason not to apply EA to MIT if your are prepared.
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Thanks everyone!