What are the downsides of applying EA?

[Anonymous]

Some schools fill up a lot of their class with EA applicants. Univ of Maryland, for example, is a school that is harder to get in if you wait for RD.

[Anonymous]

Same for VA Tech. Mostly admits EA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Weirdly USC has a lower Ea admit rate than RD.

Can’t figure that out.

The way it was explained to us at a different school is because they have to reserve a certain percentage of acceptances via RD, depending on how many apply and get accepted via ED, it could decrease the number they can accept through EA. In that case, you have a better chance getting in via RD vs EA.

[Anonymous]

One downside is if you expect your first-semester senior grades to improve your GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One downside is if you expect your first-semester senior grades to improve your GPA.

I don't think it's mathematically possible for one semester to change the average over 7 semesters that much.

[Anonymous]

None at all, IMO.

If anything, it demonstrates to the university that you are organized and ready to attend, by getting your application in by the first deadline. If anything, it gives you a better chance at merit and FA, before those funds are all "used up". Unless a school guarantees they meet all FA, you will likely get more in the earlier rounds, same with merit.

And for schools like UMD, not applying EA essentially means don't apply at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:EA doesn't have sufficient pros and cons, at least not for non hooked applicants at T20.

Umm, the significant pro is getting admitted sooner, before RD round.

If a school has EA, you should apply EA (or ED). It's simple

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pros
Shows demonstrated interest esp for schools that don’t have ED
You find out acceptances early December or January

Cons
If you are a competitive student, and they do have ED2, expect to be asked to convert from EA to ED2... If this happens and you decline, you’re not getting in, likely waitlisted.

Which schools is it common to have the above happen? EA applicant asked to switch to ED?

CWRU, Tulane are two I'm aware of. CWRU will even give you a readout of merit/FA you would get if switching. If you don't switch, then they assume you are using them as a Safety and don't really want to attend, so you might get deferred to RD and ultimately WL or rejected.

However, they accept plenty in EA---my own kid got in EA with a top merit package (we don't qualify for FA). And with fairly high stats (1500/3.98UW/8AP/Female engineering)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only serious downside generally is if the student's app will be stronger in January than it is in November, whether through a strong first semester senior year or otherwise. For example, a student who had some rough patches early in HS might have pulled it together during junior year and feel confident that their rigorous senior course load and good grades first semester will make them look stronger than they would with grades through only junior year.

Absent that, there typically isn't a reason not to apply EA, and in fact at some schools -- U-MD being the most significant one around here -- your chances of admission if you wait until RD round plummet.

For sure some schools are more selective with their EA round or, supposedly like Michigan, just can't possibly get through all the EA apps in time and so postpone many to the RD round. But even for those, there doesn't seem to be a penalty for having applied EA.

SO not many students. As well, a well written counselor recommendation can explain the trajectory (or teacher recommendation), as well as the college can see the start of that and assume with the senior year rigor what is happening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One downside is an early rejection.

Not a downside. Better to know sooner rather than later.

Definitely a possible downside emotionally to get an early rejection.

Better to know by Dec/early Jan when there is still time to hit submit on additional schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the biggest downside is kids are maturing and changing so fast their senior year. Locking them into a college choice on Nov 1 is tough. My son has only been 17 for 3 months at this point.

EA is not a "locking in". it just gets you a decision sooner (unless deferred). Really no downside at all, IMO

For my first kid, EA meant they had 3 acceptances before Xmas break began. From their top 3 schools.

For 2nd kid, they had a ED deferral and 5 acceptances before Xmas. So they were still waiting for their #2 and #3 (and #1 in RD now), but "they knew they were going to college at a good choice" as they were in with merit at their top safety (a true hidden gem and really an "easy target" more than a safety). The holidays were much more relaxed (despite the ED deferral) to know they were in at their #4 and top safety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Weirdly USC has a lower Ea admit rate than RD.

Can’t figure that out.

The way it was explained to us at a different school is because they have to reserve a certain percentage of acceptances via RD, depending on how many apply and get accepted via ED, it could decrease the number they can accept through EA. In that case, you have a better chance getting in via RD vs EA.

USC doesn't have ED. For them, it's the EA students being deferred and then being included in the RD statitstics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pros
Shows demonstrated interest esp for schools that don’t have ED
You find out acceptances early December or January

Cons
If you are a competitive student, and they do have ED2, expect to be asked to convert from EA to ED2... If this happens and you decline, you’re not getting in, likely waitlisted.

Which schools is it common to have the above happen? EA applicant asked to switch to ED?

CWRU, Tulane are two I'm aware of. CWRU will even give you a readout of merit/FA you would get if switching. If you don't switch, then they assume you are using them as a Safety and don't really want to attend, so you might get deferred to RD and ultimately WL or rejected.

However, they accept plenty in EA---my own kid got in EA with a top merit package (we don't qualify for FA). And with fairly high stats (1500/3.98UW/8AP/Female engineering)

When the school asks if you want to switch from EA to ED, does it imply that you will be guaranteed admission if you switch?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pros
Shows demonstrated interest esp for schools that don’t have ED
You find out acceptances early December or January

Cons
If you are a competitive student, and they do have ED2, expect to be asked to convert from EA to ED2... If this happens and you decline, you’re not getting in, likely waitlisted.

Which schools is it common to have the above happen? EA applicant asked to switch to ED?

CWRU, Tulane are two I'm aware of. CWRU will even give you a readout of merit/FA you would get if switching. If you don't switch, then they assume you are using them as a Safety and don't really want to attend, so you might get deferred to RD and ultimately WL or rejected.

However, they accept plenty in EA---my own kid got in EA with a top merit package (we don't qualify for FA). And with fairly high stats (1500/3.98UW/8AP/Female engineering)

When the school asks if you want to switch from EA to ED, does it imply that you will be guaranteed admission if you switch?

Yes, it typically does. They want you, but only if you are ready to commit. Typically done at schools like CWRU, which has a yield problem (They are a great school, filled with a lot of kids who wanted to attend A T25 and had a shot at getting into those). So they want their acceptances to matter. So if they aren't sure you are going to attend (or are not 100% certain for any other reason, but think you are a strong candidate), they will ask you to switch, and even give you a FA/Merit readout, basically stating "here is what you will get if you switch to ED2".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pros
Shows demonstrated interest esp for schools that don’t have ED
You find out acceptances early December or January

Cons
If you are a competitive student, and they do have ED2, expect to be asked to convert from EA to ED2... If this happens and you decline, you’re not getting in, likely waitlisted.

Which schools is it common to have the above happen? EA applicant asked to switch to ED?

CWRU, Tulane are two I'm aware of. CWRU will even give you a readout of merit/FA you would get if switching. If you don't switch, then they assume you are using them as a Safety and don't really want to attend, so you might get deferred to RD and ultimately WL or rejected.

However, they accept plenty in EA---my own kid got in EA with a top merit package (we don't qualify for FA). And with fairly high stats (1500/3.98UW/8AP/Female engineering)

Related - If you don't switch, does that pretty much guarantee you won't get in for EA? Or, do these students still get in? DC has their UMiami app in and won't be going ED.

When the school asks if you want to switch from EA to ED, does it imply that you will be guaranteed admission if you switch?