**Rochester 2019 RD Discussion Thread!**

@jamesjunkers I do not think there is anything officially spelled out on their website, however anyone who called the admissions office and spoke with an admissions representative was made aware that if you were interested in scholarship money, applying but December 1st would give you an advantage. Having prior knowledge of “Priority Review” for D1 and not seeing it anymore was incentive for me to inquire. In addition Admission reps on Collegeweeklive have repeatedly stated decisions for folks who applied by December 1 would be getting results very shortly via regular mail as early as mid next week.

I think @stresseddad‌ may be right. Though I don’t think of this as definitive proof or anything like that, someone who claimed they applied RD last year received their decision on February 18, which was a Tuesday. Thus, I don’t think it’s too crazy to think that we might hear from them around the 17th.

Perhaps they did away with something official, but still operate on the same timeline. Those that applied by December 1 have just already been through the process, and now it’s time to notify them. Rather than just holding them until the end of March. That’s what I’m hoping anyway! My daughter and I can hardly wait until next week!

I’m fine with a school notifying early if they’re ready. What I’m not fine with is a school unofficially having an early notification date. Everyone that applied by December 1 with the intent of getting a notification early had outside knowledge that is not available to the public. I could have applied to Rochester on November 15, or November 16, or November 17, etc. My essays were done, my common app was done, my application was ready. Buy instead, I chose to wait until closer to the actual deadline, just in case something came up (nothing did). I don’t like that people are being rewarded for doing something that others (like myself) would have done if we were aware of its benefits…

Just to be clear. We were not aware of any benefits. My daughter had just set a December 1st deadline for herself and applied to all her schools by then. No particular reason.

@Yokennyr, I was not specifically referencing you in that message. It was more directed at those who had heard of hte benefits via an interview, a call/email with an admissions counselor, etc. I personally believe that a school should set a deadline when they want the applications by. If UR had set a Dec. 1 deadline, I would’ve applied by December 1. But penalizing me because I applied by the deadline, that just seems unfair.

@jamesjunker I don’t get why you’re so worked about this. You mentioned this before too. Nobody is getting “rewarded” or “penalized” because of the Dec. 1st deadline. Your application is being reviewed the same way, it’s honestly not a big deal.

And you say “everyone that applied by December 1 with the intent of getting a notification early had outside knowledge that is not available to the public,” but this is not true at all. A lot of people applied by December 1st because they researched this school in the summer, when the Dec. 1st deadline from last year was still on the website, and they just assumed it was the same for this year. This was my case. In fact, I applied in October. Holding off your application seems like your problem, to be honest, and not a fault of the school just because they didn’t publicize a deadline that gives you no real advantage. If you need a deadline as an incentive to turn in your application, then that’s a matter of personal preference.

@rippedfishnets,

To answer this properly, I need to know how many of these “rumors” people are posting are actually true. If applying by December 1 gives you priority review for merit aid, then I do see a distinct advantage. If my chances of receiving merit-based aid (and therefore my chances of actually being able to attend the school) are less than someone else’s for a reason I see unfair, I cannot justify that. You say, “Holding off your application seems like your problem.” Yes, it is my “problem,” but I wasn’t doing anything wrong. “If you need a deadline as an incentive to turn in your application, then that’s a matter of personal preference.” This statement I completely disagree with. If that’s the case, why do schools have deadlines at all? Why shouldn’t all schools say, “We are accepting 6,000 kids, we will take all applications until those 6,000 spots are filled, and then we will not be reviewing any more applications.” The purpose of the deadline is so that students know when to apply. Rochester does not categorize itself as rolling admissions, and in my mind, that means that I get no advantage by applying early. Like I’ve said many times, if Rochester had stated, anywhere that applying by December 1 will have these advantages, I would have no argument. Maybe it’s just me here - maybe my rants are unjustified and wrong, but I find it unfair for a school to do something without explicitly stating it was going to happen.

Let’s say School Y was your dream school. Since 9th grade, all you cared about was getting into School Y. You knew everything about it. One fact you knew was that every year, their early decision deadline was November 1. You get to your senior year, it’s October 25, and you submit your application. You come to College Confidential to talk to other students in the “School Y Early Decision Class of 2019 Thread,” and people are talking about something you’ve never heard of. While some people were emailing their admissions counselors with meaningless questions that you’ve known for four years, or going to info sessions over the summer that you’ve been to 100 times already, they were told that if you applied by October 1, you had a better chance at getting in. Is this fair for you? School Y never posted anything about this. They never said it. And unfortunately, you never got the memo because you didn’t need any more questions answered. So now, it’s December, and you get rejected from your dream school. Obviously we can’t say if you would have gotten in if you applied by October 1, but can you honestly say it’s fair that others were given that advantage?

I don’t mean to get into an argument with you because I see you all around these forums and respect you as a CCer, I just think this isn’t something to get worked up over. If you were just annoyed that they didn’t publicize the deadline, then I understand, but you seem to be making much stronger allegations than someone who is just annoyed.

But yes, I agree with your first point that if the Dec. 1st deadline helps with scholarships, then that is unfair. However, in mostly all of your posts, you have been talking about how it’s unfair that Dec. 1st people are getting their decisions early; I’m pretty sure this is one of your first times mentioning merit aid. But your second point I don’t agree with. A deadline doesn’t tell people when to apply, it tells people when to apply by. Your holding off your application was something you chose to do, nobody forced you.

Your example is a much different situation than what’s actually going on here. First of all, as mentioned, the deadline gives you no advantage in admissions. This is not the difference between an acceptance/rejection. This is the difference between a mid Feb notification or a mid March notification. This may also possibly be the difference between 15k in merit vs. 12k in merit. I know you’ve already mentioned that getting a scholarship will help you go there, so it’s the difference of attending/not attending, but that leads me to my second point. It’s close to the #1 rule on CC that you shouldn’t apply to a school if you can’t afford it. It was your decision to rely on the possibility of merit aid, so the difference of attending/not attending is largely on you.

I’m trying to put myself in your shoes, I really am, and I understand that you could be annoyed. But I don’t get how you are taking it this seriously. I was actually removed from consideration for a full ride from one of the colleges I applied to because I gave my transcript request to my counselor and she didn’t notify the transcript office until after the deadline. Was I mad at my counselor? Not really. I was actually mad at myself because I should have gone straight to the transcript office instead of recruiting a middle man.

A better analogy, in my opinion, is that a teacher asks for volunteers to present a project. Nobody raises their hand at first, but then one girl decides to go. Because that girl went first, the teacher grades her a little easier than normal. This obviously won’t make the difference between a C and an A, but maybe between a 97% and a 100%. Everyone else is graded with what they deserve. What I’m getting at here is that, let’s say this scholarship priority thing is actually true, just because some people are given an advantage doesn’t mean you are given a disadvantage. They may be given a merit scholarship one step higher than they deserve, but that doesn’t mean you won’t get what you deserve. You are using the term “unfair” because you are comparing yourself to others, but I think you should be comparing yourself to your own ability. I don’t think anyone in that class would complain about getting the grade they got, because that’s the grade they earned. The teacher didn’t advertise that whoever went first would get extra credit, it was an advantage given to someone for doing something beyond a requirement.

@rippedfishnets
I also do not want to get into a huge argument. I apologize for making such a big deal out of this, honestly, you’re probably right, if it is a difference, it can’t be that significant. I don’t know, I guess I’m really stressed lately (getting deferred from my top two schools), and just hearing that I could have heard from Rochester soon (possibly my #3), but am not probably ticked me off. Again, I’m realizing that it’s not fair to get mad at others over my problems,and I do apologize for that. Thanks for your response.

Why can’t all of our arguments be this educated and civilized.

@jamesjunkers I wish you good luck for all your schools! And I completely understand; I got rejected at my SCEA school when all my friends had gotten either deferred or accepted from their early schools. It was frustrating for me as well and I mainly took it out by talking down these acceptances (“the ED rate is 42% so he’s not a genius for getting in or anything”-I really regret that one). We all cope in different ways because this whole process is rough. I really do hope you get into Rochester and whatever merit money you need!

Scheduling a phone interview s for next Friday. Anything I should know about their interview process? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Being yourself and just trying to be calm is the best advice I could give. Hope all goes well!

The admissions office just pit a picture of admission packets, ready to go in the mail, on their Facebook page! That might be a good sign!!

I wonder if they will go out today or next week. My daughter’s Guidance Counselor just sent her midyear report yesterday, so I’m not sure she will be in this first round of results.

Does anyone know whether all applicants go to step 4, or only if there is discrepancy between step 2 and step 3?

I’m pretty sure all applicants go to step 4. (Not absolutely sure, but pretty sure.)

Agreed with EllieMom, I think all applicants go to step 4

Okay, thanks guys