<p>How much of an advantage is applying ED compared with RD? Next year I plan on applying ED to Penn but Northwestern is also high on my list. Will it significantly hurt my chances if I do RD instead?</p>
<p>ED historically has a higher admissions percentage RD.</p>
<p>I think this is true at both NU and at Penn. However, the majority of students at both schools get in through the RD process. </p>
<p>Since you’re basically committed if you get into your ED school you should only apply to your #1 choice ED.</p>
<p>yea that’s what I’m thinking. I would really like to go to Wharton at Penn, which is my #1 by far.</p>
<p>I was in the same boat as you, but I live 30 minutes away from NU so I’m applying ED to Northwestern. Penn was definitely super high on my list, the gothic campus architecture is amazing but it was far from home and by a rough neighborhood. Since you’re from CT I’d personally recommend applying ED to Penn because the distance between home and college + travel costs are VERY important and often overlooked.</p>
<p>Applying ED has always been, and is even moreso now, a real advantage at Northwestern.
President Shapiro has made clear that he wants to increase the ED percentage towards 40% of the entering class (i.e. closer to what most of the Ivy’s have historically offered) believing that this tends to encourage a spirited class, drawing kids really commited to NU as a first choice.</p>
<p>While Penn’s admission competitiveness is similar to NU’s (with Wharton an outlier), their ED’s have historically had a much higher percentage of legacies and special recruits. If you don’t fall in to one of these groups, I don’t know if you’d see any advantage over applying RD.</p>
<p>Bala – </p>
<p>Assuming everything you say is 100% true. OP should not apply to NU early decision if Wharton is his first choice (assuming that his grades, etc. are competitive for that school).</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses everyone. @zephyr My grades and EC’s are competitive for Wharton and I’m a legacy at Penn, but I figure that I’m still a long shot to get in. The way I see it, unless you have started your own business and are making 5+ figures annually, Wharton is a hell of a reach.</p>
<p>1) Isn’t Wharton a graduate school?</p>
<p>2) ED is not a game, will you be happy at NU if you’re admitted ED because applying ED means that’s where you’ll be if they accept you.</p>
<p>Wharton is both grad and undergrad</p>
<p>I would be happy at both NU and Penn but happier at Penn, I think</p>