<p>Experts seem to constantly confirm that applying ED increases your chance of admission by a factor of about two. However, I ran across a response to the Harvard getting rid of SCEA thread that said that applying ED really doesn't increase your chances of admission to HYPS b/c that's when all the athletic recruits and legacies apply, so the admission rate just goes back down to normal. Moreover, they observed (and I've heard from adcoms) that SCEA is filled with a more qualified applicant pool (which makes some sense to me, but I can also imagine ivy hopefuls applying early for the increased admission), further reducing rates.</p>
<p>I am applying ED because I love the school, but the increased chance is definitely a big plus.</p>
<p>So the question is, does applying early really increase chances or does it in fact reduce chances for even the most qualified?</p>
<p>it most definately increases chances - remember, the % admitted is not, and should never have been, the source of selectivity of the school. Look at the stats of the applicants as a whole. A school that admits 30% and has average SATs of 1000-1200 is less selective than a school that admits 50% and SAT range is 1200-1400. </p>
<p>Remember, when applying ED you usually compete against a slightly less selective body of applicants.</p>
<p>ED certainly gives a big boost. It gives you an even better advantage if you can apply ED to schools outside the "top 25" (since they usually have a notoriously humongous number of applicants). By that I am referring to schools like Tufts, Brandeis, a few LACs like Davidson/Bates/Bowdoin people usually apply as "regular" or "match/safety schools." If you apply ED to those places, it shows the admissions officials a your strong interest in their schools, therefore increasing the possibilities of an early acceptance by december (which'd make your life much easier for the rest of the year). Anyway, you get what I mean. As for EA, unfortunately, things can be a risky and can go both ways.</p>
<p>Since EA is risky, what is the best plan of action then? Who should apply early for the biggest admissions boost, and who would be best served through regular decision (just in terms of admission rates)?</p>
<p>Why is EA risky? I think ED is risky from the financial aid point of view. You get stuck with the college whether or not the financial aid is attractive enough for you.
So, go for EA and not for ED if you have any concerns about fin. aid.
In general, a merit aid seeking person (= high stats and richer folks) is best served by the RD. For others, ED is fine if the school meets all of the demonstrated need.</p>
<p>EA/ED can be "risky" if the admit % is lower or the same for the early birds as for the regulars. Since the early pool does tend to have more kids on the ball, legacies, athletes, an lower admit rate does indicate that they are harder in eyeballing the early apps. Don't know how many of those deferred to the regular pool, however, are admitted so those numbers can be mitagated by that factor.
The disadvantages of EA are that you don't have your senior year grades in the mix and if you need a boost in that direction, it can be wise to hold off. The same if you need a retake of some tests a bit later than the deadlines for early consideration. It can also be a downer to be deferred or rejected early, especially if you have not done your other apps. It can also make some kids lackadaiscal about sending out other apps since getting in has been accomplished. It also can bring on an early onslaught of senioritus.
Given all of that, I think EA is great for most kids. It gives you an early warning sign if you are not accepted, allows you to cull some colleges if you are, can take away some of the stress if accepted, and end the whole danged process if that is the school you want to attend.</p>
<p>The best and most comprehensive book discussing ED/EA early plans is "The Early Admissions Game", written a few years ago by a couple of Harvard professors and a former Associate Dean of Admissions at Wesleyan University. The book is thorough and still relevant in the discussion about early admissions options, notwithstanding the recent news on the part of Harvard. I would recommend it to anybody considering an early plan option. Heres a link to the book/Harvard University Press site: <a href="http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog/AVEEAR.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog/AVEEAR.html</a></p>
<p>There are so many factors to consider that I'd wager that most student applicants have not fully examined the ramifications, and neither have their parents. Every year on CC (usually in the spring), there are students/parents who voice their severe disappointment in their chosen early paths. Virtually every day, there is some discussion about ED/EA/SCEA options -- with many students (and parents) hoping to hear an affirming opinion for their situation, despite the offered opinions often being outright inaccurate from not having been properly diligent in researching a schools early plan constraints; invalid from faulty assumptions being made; and/or uninformed because not enough information was provided by the poster anxious to hear something affirming. </p>
<p>Theres a fair certainty that the goal of an admissions application is certain to be accepted to that school. Apart from this shared goal, the factors leading to the attainment of the goal can be diverse and far ranging for each student and for each school.</p>
<p>Heres a caveat:</p>
<p>Whatever your intended or planned admissions alternatives are, know that YOUR situation will be different from others. You are different because of a plethora of factors unique to you, ranging from profile of secondary high school to academic background to desired college life preferences to geographical considerations. The only TRUE effect on college admissions is the one that is true for YOU, based on factors unique to YOU, not generalized patterns.</p>
<p>For Harvard -- It's actually 21.2% (SCEA) to 6.5% (RD) for class of 2009 and 23.2% to 7.6% for 2008. That's about 3x the chance in RD. Statistics by Byerly:)</p>
<p>Yeah, 21 percent sounds much better than 6.5. Then its admission rate is like that of NU. woo woo nu too coo fo you. (sorry, I wanted to rhyme and the stuff you saw before this was my sad attempt to do so)</p>