<p>They're simply different crowds. I'll use UVA for example (because it's my top choice)</p>
<p>One could argue that EA is more competitive because it's the students who have their crap together and ready to go, and are probably better students.</p>
<p>One could also argue that RD at UVA would be more competitive because it would be an afterthought app by students who are going to Ivies, and are knocking out students who would have made it in EA.</p>
<p>Even thought the acceptance rates are the same, I don't believe that tells the whole story. </p>
<p>Then you’d conclude that UVA purposely under admits in the EA round in order to falsely depress the EA admit rate in order to match their RD admit rate. That’s certainly an option for UVA. But so what? It’s their prerogative.</p>
<p>It probably varies from school to school. My son’s experience was than a number of schools only accept clear admits EA and defer others to the RD pool. </p>
<p>EA with a deferral possibility, such as UVA has, is not only non-binding if admitted, it may be non-final if not admitted. If an application is iffy, they simply defer it to the RD pool. </p>
<p>There are always some applications that were deferred (no offer) from EA that subsequently do get admission offers in the RD cycle. Ergo, the standards are a little broader in the EA cycle - higher standard for outright admission, lower for outright rejection.</p>