Seriously I don’t think it’s wise… You just wasted a good chance to get into a good university. I don’t think UPenn and UChicago have things different enough for you to totally waste a ED. You cannot have a bad four years in each institute. And applying for UPenn in RD is very risky.
@DariusTheGreat While I definitely get the point about @summerhazed wasting their ED at this point, Penn and UChicago are very very different schools. It is rather unlikely that the same person would be equally happy at both.
@summerhazed you could do what you describe or maybe you could keep your ED at Chicago and if you get in and it turns out that it really isn’t a good fit for you, then you could try to transfer to Penn.
@stunners3 I’m thought about doing that, but that’s too risky for me. There’s a good chance that UC will not give me enough money (my EFC is 28k while my parents can contribute only 5k) so I’m going to use that as a reason for my withdrawal.
The things is that I don’t know if I stand a chance at Penn RD. No one from my school has gotten in for quite some time. The past few years 4 applied and none got in. But they also applied to SEAS, and I have better stats than 3 of them and better ECs, essays, recommendations, etc than all 4. So I don’t know.
@DariusTheGreat Both schools are so different, so I wouldn’t necessarily enjoy both of them. So for me it’s worth it to waste admission at a great university for something better.
I think I have a decent chance at getting into Penn RD (not great, but still possible) and I’ll be applying to similar colleges, so maybe I’ll get into somewhere else. It’s a really big risk, I know, especially considering I’m an unhooked white male with a decent but not perfect profile. But I still think withdrawing is the right choice for me.
“There’s a good chance that UC will not give me enough money (my EFC is 28k while my parents can contribute only 5k) so I’m going to use that as a reason for my withdrawal.”
Don’t necessarily count on that. The gap you provide is sizable, of course; however, UChicago doesn’t go off EFC and they are a “no loans” school. They specificallly ask how much your parents can contribute on the FA form and our daughter’s package was very consistent with that amount.
If you are deferred, you are off the hook. If you are accepted, you may be in trouble. This is why UChicago advises to choose ED only if they are a CLEAR first choice. If you are set on Penn, then you can hope your lack of enthusiasm for UChicago came through in your essays. Fortunately, adcoms are pretty good at figuring out which students are applying under pressure from parents.
@JBStillFlying I really thought that UChicago was my clear first choice, but I guess I really didn’t think it through. My essays and overall application definitely did express my genuine interest in U of C, so that’s fine. And I wasn’t pressured by my parents or anything, honestly they’d rather have me stay instate and have never really pushed me to do anything I didn’t want to do. I just pressured myself into binding ED because I thought it would increase my chances. EA/RD was right for me all along, I just didn’t realize until now.
And financial aid isn’t really the reason I’m switching admissions plans. I just said that because it seems like a legit excuse and didn’t want to let them think that I don’t want to attend or anything.
Statistically, it is still a difficult admit for UC ED. I believe the numbers last year were 400-450 +/- for the ED round. They are posted in 2021 threads. The competition in the ED round is intense, and chances at best in the teens.
For future readers, EA and switching to EDII after the SCEA is announced would have been your best choice had you known from a single visit to Penn that that was your first choice.
does anyone know what time and when ea decisions are posted?
@fbsdreams Penn isn’t necessarily my dream school. I’m also interested in Columbia, Yale, Princeton, WUSTL, Emory, and more. Visiting just made me realize that maybe U of C wouldn’t be a good fit for me, and that I didn’t consider other schools enough. Applying RD would give me a shot at all those schools. But yes, future applicants, be very careful about ED, and don’t take it lightly like I did!!!
@summerhazed - hope everything works out - good luck to you!
@JBStillFlying Thanks!!! I hope it does
Good luck to you summerhazed. I’ve been following your situation. Although it would have been better to figure out for sure which school to play the ED card, (as a parent of recently graduated UChicago student) I think you are doing the right thing. That’s why you visit the schools and do all the research! And judging from your posts, I know you will do great where ever you decide to go. Again, best of luck to you.
@summerhazed I can’t agree more about visiting the schools! I had started out thinking about applying to UChicago EA but after visiting the campus, I knew I had to apply ED. However, there is a good private school in my state I had planned on applying to, but once I visited felt like I was about to crawl out of my skin because of the high school vibe it gave off. You’re definitely not going to go wrong with any of the schools you have listed you’re interested in.
@summerhazed , I also agree with your sentiment. I believe there’s no such thing as ONE single dream school. I visited many schools with my son, hoping he would find that one dream school to ED, but he likes many of them and can’t decide. I think most students are in the same boat, but just using ED as a tool to gain an admission advantage, which is unfortunately. I hope colleges get rid of the whole ED shenanigans and all use EA.
@summerhazed Best of luck !! Acknowledging this now is a big step.
Good news!!! I emailed my admissions counselor, and she switched me to Early Action instead of Regular Decision! So I’ll still get a decision soon, but now it’s non-binding.
Does anyone know exactly when ED/EA decisions will be released? Some have said Friday, December 15th, while others are claiming Monday, December 18th. I applied ED and would like to know! Thank you
Ahhh apparently UChicago has been sending out letters asking for more financial aid info? Does this mean that those who don’t get the letter didn’t get in? I applied EA and am now freaking out lol
I never got a letter either. They could be sending that out though because applicants did not complete their online checklist. I know mine is completed, which is why I have not received such a letter.
@jonzags, few, ok good to know!
I wish they’d let us know before the 18th so I’ll know whether to buy UChicago Christmas Gifts for family or not!!!