<p>^Yale is early action, and it’s usually just as difficult, if not more so, to get accepted to top schools via early action, which is non-binding. Generally, it’s easier to get in somewhere early decision since more competitive applicants would usually be unwilling to “settle.” Of course, when I say easier, I mean that in comparison to the RD round, and many qualified applicants are still turned down early, especially at the very top early decision schools. Judging from the Columbia results thread, it was quite a massacre this year lol. However, at lesser (albeit still very good) schools like Rice for example, applying ED can substantially boost your chances.</p>
<p>“But he got no financial aid whatsoever, and now, since he has to go …”</p>
<p>He doesn’t have to go. Columbia is a Common Application school; here is the rule:
<a href=“https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/docs/downloadforms/ED_Agreement.pdf[/url]”>https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/docs/downloadforms/ED_Agreement.pdf</a></p>
<p>He can say “no thanks” and apply RD elsewhere.</p>
<p>Imagine not qualifying for the loans, he is somehow “forced” to go, and is expelled when the bill can’t be paid. Imagine why no one has ever heard of such a thing.</p>
<p>An informative link, for those who don’t know yet:</p>
<p>[The</a> Case for Early Decision - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/13/the-case-for-early-decision/]The”>The Case for Early Decision - The New York Times)</p>
<p>I was accepted to Occidental College early decision and have no regrets whatsoever! I know I could have gotten in without applying early, as it was actually one of the more “likely” schools on my list, however I have had my heart set on going there for over a year and wanted to know as soon as possible that I would be going there. I think people who apply early to Ivy Leagues just to see if they can get in are a bit foolish, unless the school is actually their first choice.</p>
<p>For me, ED was about love and a definite choice, but I think that it is very much to the advantage of the applicant to choose their first choice early on and apply ED if at all possible. It can only serve to help, and you have to make the choice eventually, so might as well make second semester a breeze.</p>
<p>pleease respond to this
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/common-application/1056147-would-my-ethnicity-improve-my-chances.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/common-application/1056147-would-my-ethnicity-improve-my-chances.html</a>
Thank you so much</p>
<p>Vossron, I hadn’t read that. But does the school decide that its impossible, or does he get to decide? </p>
<p>I think he’s going anyway. His family is not actually poor; they shell out $100,000 a year for their four kids to go to private schools. But he would have to take out loans I think, which sucks for him. </p>
<p>I reread my last post. It was pretty nasty, come to think of it. I felt like crap at the time.</p>
<p>Only the family can decide; the school has already been given the financial data they deem pertinent. “… the student may decline …” is the key.</p>
<p>
As someone who was accepted EA and is applying to Columbia, this is certainly debatable.</p>
<p>^ The issue is always: better for whom? Generalized absolutes are useless.</p>
<p>Some people like to play the “admissions game” and simply apply to colleges based on percentages and statistics that don’t really give the full picture or throwing in apps to “so-called good schools” they think they have a shot at. I’m not exactly sure how many people do this, but it is a very misguided way to think about things.</p>
<p>At the same time, I think there’s a difference between an admitted early student who loved every single college (s)he applied to and would be happy wherever (s)he went and a student who simply submitted a UChicago app because they did a non-restrictive early program, had a higher early rate than Stanford, and were a US News & World Report top 15 school. The latter will probably think about another college after an early admit, but still be happy when they enter their early school of choice in the Fall, whilst the former who ‘played the game’ will have more regrets and reservations down the road.</p>
<p>I like to say that percentages and statistics are the equivalent of recreational drugs - they drive people to have impulses and think things that they don’t really mean and create tons of problems down the road. It’s a bit bullish, in my opinion, for one to simply focus on the empty statistics than the whole picture. I do believe that percentages and statistics are helpful in moderation or as part of the big picture, but to simply use them to make the decision to apply to UChicago EA over Stanford REA is risky and not worth the outcome.</p>
<p>We did the ED for the reach school (an Ivy) that was my son’s first choice, RA for his fourth choice (safety), and RD for his other choices. He didn’t make it into his ED school (too many legacies I think because his stats were much better than theirs) but made it into his RD school and got into their honors college. We’ve followed our plan and, so far, it’s working pretty well. Now we’ll see how the RD schools work out but I would recommend having at least one RA/EA school that you’re confident and have no worries going into the new year.</p>
<p>My son was deferred from his ED1 choice to regular admission to a school he really wanted to go to, and is now trying to decide whether to apply ED2 to help his chances getting into another “reach” school that is not his first choice. Thoughts?</p>
<p>If the ED2 is his second choice school, it sounds like a fine plan, as long as he’s willing to give up the chance at ED1, and never know if he would have been admitted.</p>
<p>I hope (but doubt) that all these HS posters absolutely in love with their ED choices are any more successful in their choices than they will be in marriage.</p>
<p>My decision to apply ED to the University of Pennsylvania was, I suppose, sort of a “best of both worlds” deal. I had a few hooks specific to Penn and also knew about its encouraging ED statistics. I had originally planned to apply ED to Columbia but a) thought that there was no way I would be accepted and b) realized I didn’t really want to live in NYC anyway. Having visited Penn in my freshman year and having lived in Philly for a week, I liked it well enough. I also figured that I wouldn’t get into any Ivies, so it was a good decision to apply binding because Penn was the sort of school I would “have” to go to if I were ever admitted, over other perhaps less reputable but more enticing places.
After I submitted my ED app, I realized that I was actually really in love with liberal arts colleges… places like Bowdoin and Haverford soon became my top choices.
And then, um, I was somehow admitted to Penn.
I put a lot of consideration into my ED application, which is why I’m satisfied with the outcome. Penn was, after all, a school I would have gone to over Bowdoin/Haverford because you just don’t turn down a chance like that. Sure, I’m a little nervous about the 20,000 total students versus the 1,500, but I’m also extremely appreciative for the chance to go to such an amazing university.
I guess I went the “reach” ED route, versus the above-discussed “safety.” Maybe I’m some sort of wacky success story (or maybe I just have deep-seated insecurity issues). Whatever the case, it worked out for me, and I’m truly excited for the following school year. To me, the idea of applying to a “safe” ED school is sort of counter-intuitive. I understand that it might heighten the chances for someone to get into a place that they’d be pretty much happy at, but there are always success stories, you know? I DO think that insane reaches shouldn’t even be applied to, much less an ED submission, but why not shoot for your #1 (provided that it’s not a ridiculous fever dream) when you might finally have an advantage?
And I mean, who knows? I thought Penn was a ridiculous fever dream. Maybe you/your sons and daughters should seize the ED advantage and just… dream a little.</p>
<p>D applied ED to #1 school. No EA or rolling admissions. She was deferred. It was a long winter, but come Spring she was admitted to her ED school. It was far and away her first choice, and it was everything she’d hoped it would be. Since we live on LI where college admissions are very, very competitive I’m convinced her ED application was a factor in her eventual admission to her highly competitive school.</p>
<p>S applied EA to two schools he loved and ED to a very exciting possibility – a reach, an Ivy. He was deferred from his ED school. (See above. The fate of my family.) However, he was accepted at both EA schools, which are both excellent schools, and he would have been thrilled to attend either. A much easier winter. Come Spring he was rejected at his ED school, but another school, which had long been lurking, had already moved into position one. He was accepted there, a top LAC, and at another Ivy. He chose the LAC and has been very happy.</p>
<p>In retrospect he shouldn’t have applied ED to the school he did; it was under intense lobbying by his sister. However, if that school had accepted him I know he would have been perfectly happy there too, though perhaps not as much as at the school he still attends.</p>
<p>We had too very happy outcomes after two deferrals.</p>
<p>My top 2 were Yale and Brown. I decided to go for ED to Brown and I didn’t get in. However, I’m kind of glad I chose Brown ED instead of Yale SCEA because my Yale essays (and in fact essays for all of my other schools) are so much better so it gave me a chance to improve. If I did get into Brown, I would still be happy as a clam! I’ve also taking a particular liking to Tufts recently. I even think I’ll like my safety, Tulane which I was accepted to at the end of November (Honors + Merit Money = Win).</p>
<p>EDIT: Just to clarify, I was deferred. If I was rejected I probably wouldn’t even bother with Yale. Also, a legacy from my school got in with MUCH lower stats than me. I talked to my GC and he thought about it and realized at least the past 2-3 years, only legacies have been accepted ED to Brown from my school.</p>
<p>^ Living proof that being deferred/rejected ED can be turned into a good thing 
Best of luck to you rainbowrose!</p>
<p>Thanks carman I wouldn’t say necessarily a GOOD thing, but I think my choice to apply ED to Brown was a better one than taking the SCEA risk at Yale or not applying to any top schools early.</p>
<p>D was accepted ED to her clear first choice college. One semester in, she could not be happier. </p>
<p>Back in the day, I was accepted to my ED school. I was happy with my decision and with the college.</p>
<p>S had no clear first choice and applied RD everywhere. He is now a senior in college and cannot imagine himself at another school, he has truly loved his college.</p>