<p>OP, if you are rejected ED then you are not considered during RD. Some ED applicants are deferred from ED and reconsidered during RD. Rejection is rejection.</p>
<p>Higher ED admission rates often reflect special classes of applicants, notably recruited athletes and legacies. Penn, for instance, tells legacy applicants that legacy is only considered during the ED round. Would applying to Cornell ED really be an admissions advantage if you’re not a “hooked” applicant? Hard to tell.</p>