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I worry a LOT about not getting in ED. RD is so much more difficult. I'm sure I'd end up at a UC if I don't get in ED. Aaah.
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<p>Don't worry about this, really. When I didn't get in Princeton ED, I thought it was the end of the world. Seriously, I've been hearing all of these things about how Princeton ED had the most chance out of Ivy early admissions and if you don't get in Pton ED, you have very little chance elsewhere. Now I realize it is all false.</p>
<p>ED admission rates are high because the schools are typically looking for a specific "type" of students. To some schools, it may be URMs, athletes, or musicians. To others, it may be highly accelerated students. If you don't fit what they are looking for in the ED round, you don't get accepted. So actually, the higher admission rate is because the people who fit those criteria are encouraged to apply early (legacy, "hook," URM) and thus they boost up the admission rate (there's a smaller applicant pool during ED, anyway).</p>
<p>So yeah, don't just hinge everything on ED, I was very happy when I started getting admission letters from MSC after getting deferred (and eventually rejected) by Pton! Now, I'm actually kinda happy that I didn't get into Pton ED =p</p>