Should I apply RD or ED2 to UChicago after being deferred?

https://www.chicagomaroon.com/article/2018/5/3/university-chicagos-acceptance-rate-plummets-7-2-c/

I got deferred from my dream school yesterday, read this. apparently last year’s acceptance rate for deferred applicants was 0.5%, which is crazy low even compared to the RD acceptance rate of 4%. I applied EA for the first round of admissions due to financial worries if I was accepted ED, but I’m worried I will be rejected outright if I move to the RD pool. Advice as to what I should do from here?

Your chances will definitely be higher if you apply ED2. No doubt. UChicago fills most of the class with ED1 and ED2 applicants.

Where can I find stats on what percent of ED2 applicants get in? Or even ED in general.

I applied EA for the same concerns. However, the agreement follows national standards and if your parents can’t/won’t pay the aid package provided (after negotiation), then you will be released without penalty. My parents retroactively said they should have allowed me to apply ED1, so now I’m applying ED2. Best of luck to everyone who was deferred.

Historically, ED2 has hovered between 17-23% acceptance rate compared to the .5% deferred RD rate. The math isn’t hard on which is significantly more advantageous.

@SardonicSlav That ED2 percent is unsubstantiated and UChicago does not officially release that number.

IIRC a guesstimate was backed into based on class of 2021 which was the first year that offered EDII. Not many from the EA round even knew they could switch to EDII as I believe it was was not communicated.

You can search old threads or someone else can comment, but I suspect the EDII pool itself will grow substantially with time and communication that the EA app can be switched on deferment.

@foucaultgang regardless of the actual percentage, there is absoultely no question your chances with EDII will be substantially higher than the RD round - c/o 2021 was <2%.

If you listen to Nondorf’s comments carefully, the 0.5% refers to EA defer to RD accept. The ED1/2 to RD accept rate was not disclosed. However if you convert your EA app to ED2, this will undoubtedly increase your chances substantially.

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^ Concur that it must be EA that is admitted RD. Not sure there is much of a path for ED1 deferred, but could be wrong. Everything depends on those ED2 and RD applications. ED2 is waitlisted or rejected - no defer. So by the time they are comparing RD applications it’s pretty much new RD vs. deferred from early pool. Given the very small number of admitteds after an EA-deferred, it’s pretty clear that the new RD apps are sufficiently strong to become the overwhelming majority of admits. Is that because most of the deferred kids have moved on, or because of bad luck? Not clear.

It’s not just application strength. It’s also size of the pool. If they are admitting mostly ED1/ED2, then switching your EA-deferred to an ED2 might make sense. However, while the admit rate might be higher, that doesn’t always translate into personal odds; in addition, the “admit rate” totally depends on how many switch from the early round so might not provide much information at all, even if they disclosed it.

Bottom line: Don’t worry much about your odds. Decide whether UChicago is NOW your clear #1 (your willingness to commit shouldn’t depend on your odds of getting accepted) and apply ED2 accordingly. Since the odds are still going to be low, focus on your RD apps. at this time as well. By April 1st you should know which college(s) agrees with you as to fit.

def my top choice. I’ll need to review the ED agreement or whatever though. I’m looking for the stats to make the sell to my parents easier. Plus, it’s something to do lol