How important is having this status in first-year admissions? Is using the Candidate’s Choice application more efficient than just the CommonApp?
Not important at all. If you are needing to submit the common app for other schools it’s just more work to complete a separate RPI application.
Yeah that’s what I thought too. Wait so then what’s the point of giving it to prospective applicants? is it like just a way for them to track demonstrated interest?
Honestly I don’t know. My D already had the common app done by the time she got the RPI specific application. She emailed the ad com who she had met during her visit and they said it doesn’t impact admission in anyway. This was a few cycles ago but I doubt things will have changed on this.