<p>Gah. The point of early decision, as earlier stated, is NOT to have better chances getting into a really good school. The point of early decision is to MAKE SURE you have a place for yourself at your absolutely positively FAVORITE school in the whole entire world, and NOT just because you think it's good academically. If someone is considering three schools to apply to early decision, I view this as a problem. Early Decision should only be used for those applicants who have ONE school that they are in love with.</p>
<p>"The point of early decision, as earlier stated, is NOT to have better chances getting into a really good school."</p>
<p>-Maybe not for you, but it certainly is for many people.</p>
<p>"The point of early decision is to MAKE SURE you have a place for yourself at your absolutely positively FAVORITE school in the whole entire world, and NOT just because you think it's good academically."</p>
<p>-Applying ED isn't 'making sure' of anything; it's telling a particular school you're very interested- and is also attempting to gain a better shot at being admitted to a particular school.</p>
<p>"Early Decision should only be used for those applicants who have ONE school that they are in love with."</p>
<p>Why can't students be in love with more than one school? It's absurd to say that students would be happy at just one school. Sure, a person should only apply ED to a school he'd be ok with attending, but he most certainly can be in love with more than one school.</p>
<p>If there's any validity to a study published in 2003 in "The Early Decision Game" by C. Avery et al, you would dramatically increase your chance of admission to Columbia by applying early. We all know things change rapidly in college admissions, but it's a well-done study and probably at least reflects a rough snapshot of your chances - by ratio if not by percentages. NW and Amherst were not among the 14 colleges in the study, but Columbia was. At that time, "the average applicant to Columbia in the study has an SAT-1 score of approx. 708 on each test." The chance of RD admission for this applicant was 25%, but it went up to 85% with ED. This was the largest estimated effect of any of the 14 colleges, and it seemed especially powerful for people with SATs in your range. If your application is in good shape by the deadline, you should go for it!</p>
<p>rainmama, thank you so much! Do you know where I could find the article?</p>
<p>It's a book, check it out from your local library
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Early-Admissions-Game-Joining-Elite/dp/0674016203/ref=sr_1_1/104-5009155-5314312?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1184623488&sr=8-1%5B/url%5D">http://www.amazon.com/Early-Admissions-Game-Joining-Elite/dp/0674016203/ref=sr_1_1/104-5009155-5314312?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1184623488&sr=8-1</a></p>