While I’ve seen that generally acceptance rates for colleges in EA and ED are higher; I’ve also heard that the applicant pool is much more competitive. i.e. Containing legacies, Olympic athletes, etc. So overall is it smart to apply EA to my dream school, or should I wait till RD to apply? Note: I don’t have any significant hooks.
You really need to be more specific about what schools you are interested in. It all depends on what school and what your qualifications are. In general, ED is more beneficial than EA, but of course it is binding. In the right circumstances, ED is a powerful tool to increase your chances. But ED is best used by someone who is certain that the school is the first choice, doesn’t need to shop FA offers, and is “ready to go” by about 11/1 (no need for additional time for further testing or to raise GPA, visit schools, draft essays, demonstrate interest or otherwise polish the application). EA on the other hand tends to not be as much of an advantage. But again, it depends a lot on what school you are talking about. If you are more specific, I’m sure people will give you feedback.
@Corinthian I am talking about the top universities: Harvard, Upenn, etc.
For the Ivies, I would absolutely apply EA. Penn fills something like half of its class every year with EA applicants, and Harvard isn’t quite that much, but something similar. This is part of the reason it’s so hard to get in RD. I will say this, every person I know who applied EA to Harvard was accepted. I don’t know a single person accepted to Harvard RD. Although, if you feel your essays won’t be polished enough/test scores high enough/that your app could be improved substantially in any way between November 1 and January 1, waiting until RD may be a good choice.
Penn was about 54 percent ED this year. If you want to attend Penn, I would apply ED. The admission rate is significantly higher.
how does anything you mentioned make it a “death trap”?
@much2learn where did you get that Penn is 54% admit rate for ED?
For Harvard, applying EA is so beneficial. Applying RD is gonna be brutal as it is around a 2% acceptance rate in the regular round. Early at least the admit rates are in the teens. Besides, there are only so many olympians etc. applying to Harvard each year anyway. Out of the 1000~ ish applicants accepted from the early round for Harvard, I highly doubt that even a third of them can be those auto-admit kind of students.
@mikemac I was referring to the fact that most of the Olympic athletes, legacy students, or anyone with a significant hook, applies EA to the top schools. Therefore, making the admissions process not all too different than RD.
Not a 54% admit rate. I am saying that Penn filled 54% of the class in ED.
http://www.thedp.com/article/2014/12/early-decision-admission-rate-drops-by-1-3-percent
1,316 ED admissions out of a targeted total class target of 2,420 students.
@Much2learn Penn definitely looks like a great deal compared to other Colleges, pertaining to ea acceptance rate. Harvard’s also looks very appealing, 21% compared to their single digit numbers in RD.
Just remember that Penn is ED and not EA, so you have to be sure.
@Much2learn Thank you for informing me. I was not aware of that. Not that it changes things for myself as an applicant. If I gain acceptance to one of these schools, it will be the one that I will probably end up going to. I honestly doubt that I will be accepted at multiple ivies/top colleges.
With many of the Ivy League schools, they only offer single choice early action which means if you apply early you can’t apply early to any other school
@430ktk -
Penn doesn’t have EA; it has ED.
Typically, ED affords a bigger boost than does EA (it’s binding, after all, so more beneficial to colleges as they try to lock in yield rates, etc.). But neither is a “death trap.” That’s just silly.
@marvin100 The title was just a mere hyperbole, not meant to be taken literally. My point that I wanted answered was are EA and ED programs actually beneficial to applicants considering the applicant pool you’re going against.
Okay, then. Answer: Yes. ED more than EA, and neither quite as much as the stats may suggest (because of legacies, recruits, etc., as you mentioned). It’s not complicated or mysterious. Hyperbole isn’t just “exaggeration”–it’s exaggeration in the service of truth. Your use of it didn’t serve truth.
No I wish I had. As for making a decision, I was considering Cornell, Penn and Columbia for ED, picked none of them and did not get into any of them RD (did get WL at a couple). Although in retrospect the school I would have been best off at was Brown (WL and then rejected). Even 6 months later I do not have a clear favorite. My point is, if money is not the main concern (you can still apply for FA and do ED as long as your need is not overwhelming and you will not make a decision based on $2k difference), you should consider ED unless you can get into an EA school you like better. The way I look at it, given my WLs for RD, I may actually have gotten into an ED school if I had just picked one.
Look at the RD and ED and EA threads for the schools you like. See where you fall
Since ED is binding, it’s only worth doing if you are absolutely determined you want to go if you get in. As for early action, just go ahead and do it if your application is ready on time! Yes, the pool is more selective, but if they are unsure about you, you will get “deferred” to regular admissions. If they are absolutely sure that they will not want you even if you had applied regular, then you will get rejected.
My advice on reach schools is to hone in on one which you love the most and in which your stats are AT LEAST solidly within their middle 50%, then fully learn that school’s culture inside and out - Read the website, blogs, departmental Facebook pages, etc… meet with and talk to the college’s regional rep whenever he or she visits your state (ask him or her point blank what he/she is looking for). Visit the college, set up departmental tours, sit in on classes, attend some student events. If possible, attend a summer class or camp there.
Then put your heart and soul in to that college’s application and apply ED. Also, talk to your teacher recommenders and GC about the college and your specific characteristics that fit what that school’s regional rep is looking for. Demonstrate a strong fit throughout your entire application package.
Also, unless you have a strong hook, I would not waste your early leverage on the SCEA schools (Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Yale) unless you feel overwhelmingly and absolutely compelled to do so.
Just my opinion.