<p>i found that the ED acceptance rate is around 22 percent whereas the RD acceptance rate is about 7 leading to an about 9 pecent total acceptance rate...
is there a catch or are your chances actually better early at columbia than regular?</p>
<p>One can say that the ED applicant pool is better prepared/more motivated, but I believe that, yes, your chances for Columbia during ED are higher.</p>
<p>Statistically your odds are better. But for most kids the results would probably be the same either way (with the exception maybe of waitlisters).</p>
<p>the 22 vs 7% seems too skewed to not boost your chances ed, i can think of two-three possible reasons why this is true:</p>
<p>1) you show that you are committed to the school
2) many legacy kids
3) it helps yield a lot, they can be sure that a stellar applicant will join them - not true for rd since there's a good chance that applicant would enroll at harvard or princeton etc, this helps their rankings, since yeild plays a part in the incoming class stats, (i don't think rankings are a significant factor in columbia's admission) but it also allows them to have their very low acceptance rate. if they abolished ED, they'd have to take like 3500 kids RD for 1500 or so to enroll, that's like a 16.7% acceptance rate with the usual 21000 pool. a 11.4% acceptance rate sounds a lot more difficult and prestigious. currently they take 500/4000 ed and 2100/17000 or so RD that's like 900 fewer acceptees.</p>
<p>To the OP-</p>
<p>This is true of all the Ivy League schools. Princeton was 26% last year, Yale ~20% and Harvard 22%. Penn was nearly 30%. Early makes a difference, even in cases of EA. Also, the early pool typically has a lot more proportion of qualified applicants.</p>
<p>I absolutely love your username.</p>
<p>Another ED question.. Can i apply ED Columbia, EA Chicago, ER (NON binding rolling) Michigan? That's if i have the time to complete my essays for mich and chicago..</p>
<p>^yes. My son did ED Columbia and rolling Michigan, and lots of people I have seen do ED Columbia/EA chicago.</p>
<p>Garland, Thanks a lot.</p>