Rising senior parents - don't do ED

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bizarre rant: “Parents, don’t do ED or your kid might get into a crazy selective school !!”

I would encourage ED to a top-15 school if you know it is the clear-cut first choice. Still no guarantees.

One of mine did not ED anywhere because nowhere had that clear No 1 feel. One did ED and was deferred and ultimately rejected.

But it’s hard to take advice against ED when the argument is “because you might actually get in to Chicago.”

Broadly, if you aren’t sure you want to go to School A, don’t ED. It greatly reduces the chances you will get in to School A, but it keeps every other door open

ED should be outlawed. It messes with kids' heads. And of course is unfair to those without $. Yes of course ED should only be for your "one true clear favorite" but I think the majority of kids struggle to separate that from the admissions advantage it confers.

Absolutely not. We FGLI feel ED is an important venue for us applicants. Without questbridge in the ED round,FGLI would have been disadvantaged.

I feel certain there is a way to keep questbridge and remove Ed for most other applicants

Of course. Questbridge is its own thing. I don't consider that part of the ED scam.

Firstly, the WHOLE PROCESS is a scam.

Colleges are not benevolent institutions to provide for the common good OR a meritocracy. They are businesses with financial models and goals.

Use the tools at your disposal to secure an advantage in the process (and yes, that includes ED and questbridge) and stop whining.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a bizarre rant: “Parents, don’t do ED or your kid might get into a crazy selective school !!”

I would encourage ED to a top-15 school if you know it is the clear-cut first choice. Still no guarantees.

One of mine did not ED anywhere because nowhere had that clear No 1 feel. One did ED and was deferred and ultimately rejected.

But it’s hard to take advice against ED when the argument is “because you might actually get in to Chicago.”

Broadly, if you aren’t sure you want to go to School A, don’t ED. It greatly reduces the chances you will get in to School A, but it keeps every other door open

ED should be outlawed. It messes with kids' heads. And of course is unfair to those without $. Yes of course ED should only be for your "one true clear favorite" but I think the majority of kids struggle to separate that from the admissions advantage it confers.

+1. DD has extremely hard these past three years. She doesn't want to ruin her chance of getting into the state flagship but she wants to see where else she might be admitted. If our flagship wasn't like a lottery for high stats kids it wouldn't matter as much.

If she's high stats, she probably won't be at a disadvantage applying EA vs. ED.

[Anonymous]

Mine plans to ED at a (barely) top 25 because he loves it. I think he has a chance at a top 10 but I am okay with his plan. He has wanted to go to one particular school since middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC was/is a high achiever with strong (not mind-blowing ECs). Feeder magnet public. He/we got psyched out by all the chatter about kids getting screwed, and became fixed on doing ED at Chicago. Fast-forward, all his friends with similar profiles got into excellent schools- not everyone got into an Ivy, but I can only think of one kid who got "screwed" (and maybe he'll get off a waitlist in the next 6 weeks, who knows). DC should have held out instead of compromising with ED! Wish I'd tried harder to talk him out of it. Chicago is obviously not a terrible school, but the quarter system sucks, it's in a horrible neighborhood, and it's stressful. I feel certain he would have had East Coast options if he'd waited. So, rising senior parent, learn the lesson from us.

You're feeling he could have gotten into an ivy like some of his friends. If you were going to be stressed about Chicago, why apply in the first place? You knew it was a quarter system. It is crappy weather for most of the months but who knows with all the heat, it may end up being a warm winter.

The issue here isn't ED, the issue is that your kid ED'ed to a school that wasn't his clear top choice and that you don't even seem to like very much.

My kid ED'ed to the school she fell in love with, got in, and was over the moon. Kid #2 will probably ED but only if he has a clear front runner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine plans to ED at a (barely) top 25 because he loves it. I think he has a chance at a top 10 but I am okay with his plan. He has wanted to go to one particular school since middle school.

Emory ED acceptance rate 30%, only lower than that of Chicago ED. Good choice.

Yeah, both ED give him a good chance, it’s personal preference.

[Anonymous]

ED to your kid's top choice and move on.

Run the NCP.

Stop "merit hunting " to schools that don't provide merit aid. 🤣

[Anonymous]

ED works if your kid is confident about their preferences. My son had 3 pretty equal favorites out of 11 applications, two East Coast non-Ivy, low admission rate privates and one UC. He applied ED1 to one of the privates, got deferred, applied ED2 to the other one, got accepted.

He's pleased with the outcome.

[Anonymous]

Don't ED to a school that is not your top choice. It is binding. If you don't have a top choice, you could try schools that have early action which is not binding or do regular decision.

That said, if you can narrow it down to a top choice before the Ed deadlines it's great to simplify the whole process and be accepted and focused on your college journey by winter of senior year in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ED works if your kid is confident about their preferences. My son had 3 pretty equal favorites out of 11 applications, two East Coast non-Ivy, low admission rate privates and one UC. He applied ED1 to one of the privates, got deferred, applied ED2 to the other one, got accepted.

He's pleased with the outcome.

OP: This was my DC's exact thinking. 3 pretty equal favorites, but only one (Chicago) where ED would matter. In his mind, it made perfect sense to choose it. I felt ok about it at the time but (my bad) did not do enough research into Chicago's location and shady admissions practices. I wish he was headed to one of the other 2 faves which were both on the east coast. Or another east coast school a little further down his list. I feel like if he'd had the chance to make a choice in the spring, without the pressure of acceptances hanging over his head, he would have seen things differently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ED works if your kid is confident about their preferences. My son had 3 pretty equal favorites out of 11 applications, two East Coast non-Ivy, low admission rate privates and one UC. He applied ED1 to one of the privates, got deferred, applied ED2 to the other one, got accepted.

He's pleased with the outcome.

OP: This was my DC's exact thinking. 3 pretty equal favorites, but only one (Chicago) where ED would matter. In his mind, it made perfect sense to choose it. I felt ok about it at the time but (my bad) did not do enough research into Chicago's location and shady admissions practices. I wish he was headed to one of the other 2 faves which were both on the east coast. Or another east coast school a little further down his list. I feel like if he'd had the chance to make a choice in the spring, without the pressure of acceptances hanging over his head, he would have seen things differently.

I'm poster with the kid who favored 3 schools. We always want what is best for our kids, but it sounds like your son made a good ED decision and is happy with Chicago. If so, please embrace it, and avoid generating doubt. Once he arrives, both of you will appreciate the opportunities available to him. He will also learn how to navigate his way around the nearby neighborhoods and the big city, like my son and many others have done in similar situations. Think of your son as unique with his own path that doesn't involve comparing him to other kids you know. He approached his college decision in a mature way and will no doubt make future decisions in college this way as well. That's more important than the school he will attend, especially given the granular differences between Chicago and the other 2 schools he preferred.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ED works if your kid is confident about their preferences. My son had 3 pretty equal favorites out of 11 applications, two East Coast non-Ivy, low admission rate privates and one UC. He applied ED1 to one of the privates, got deferred, applied ED2 to the other one, got accepted.

He's pleased with the outcome.

OP: This was my DC's exact thinking. 3 pretty equal favorites, but only one (Chicago) where ED would matter. In his mind, it made perfect sense to choose it. I felt ok about it at the time but (my bad) did not do enough research into Chicago's location and shady admissions practices. I wish he was headed to one of the other 2 faves which were both on the east coast. Or another east coast school a little further down his list. I feel like if he'd had the chance to make a choice in the spring, without the pressure of acceptances hanging over his head, he would have seen things differently.

I'm poster with the kid who favored 3 schools. We always want what is best for our kids, but it sounds like your son made a good ED decision and is happy with Chicago. If so, please embrace it, and avoid generating doubt. Once he arrives, both of you will appreciate the opportunities available to him. He will also learn how to navigate his way around the nearby neighborhoods and the big city, like my son and many others have done in similar situations. Think of your son as unique with his own path that doesn't involve comparing him to other kids you know. He approached his college decision in a mature way and will no doubt make future decisions in college this way as well. That's more important than the school he will attend, especially given the granular differences between Chicago and the other 2 schools he preferred.

Agree with all of this. Your child made a reasonable and logical decision when there were three great options. You don't know for sure if your child would have had those other two options and importantly, you don't know whether those other options would have been better for them. UChicago is an amazing school and your child is going to get an unbelievable education and endless opportunities. Please try and not express any of these feelings to your child - they deserve to be congratulated for all of the work that got them to this place. The city of Chicago is a fantastic city to visit and will be enriching as well. For you, an architectural boat tour and a meal at Frontera Grill may change your mind about Chicago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ED works if your kid is confident about their preferences. My son had 3 pretty equal favorites out of 11 applications, two East Coast non-Ivy, low admission rate privates and one UC. He applied ED1 to one of the privates, got deferred, applied ED2 to the other one, got accepted.

He's pleased with the outcome.

OP: This was my DC's exact thinking. 3 pretty equal favorites, but only one (Chicago) where ED would matter. In his mind, it made perfect sense to choose it. I felt ok about it at the time but (my bad) did not do enough research into Chicago's location and shady admissions practices. I wish he was headed to one of the other 2 faves which were both on the east coast. Or another east coast school a little further down his list. I feel like if he'd had the chance to make a choice in the spring, without the pressure of acceptances hanging over his head, he would have seen things differently.

Your kid likes Chicago, ED’d to Chicago, got accepted to Chicago. The only problem here is your attitude to Chicago, not ED.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ED works if your kid is confident about their preferences. My son had 3 pretty equal favorites out of 11 applications, two East Coast non-Ivy, low admission rate privates and one UC. He applied ED1 to one of the privates, got deferred, applied ED2 to the other one, got accepted.

He's pleased with the outcome.

OP: This was my DC's exact thinking. 3 pretty equal favorites, but only one (Chicago) where ED would matter. In his mind, it made perfect sense to choose it. I felt ok about it at the time but (my bad) did not do enough research into Chicago's location and shady admissions practices. I wish he was headed to one of the other 2 faves which were both on the east coast. Or another east coast school a little further down his list. I feel like if he'd had the chance to make a choice in the spring, without the pressure of acceptances hanging over his head, he would have seen things differently.

Your kid likes Chicago, ED’d to Chicago, got accepted to Chicago. The only problem here is your attitude to Chicago, not ED.

Seriously. Time to get some perspective here.

[Anonymous]

I agree with OP.

Make sure to ask your kid if their ED choice is their absolute #1 choice. If not, don't do it.

We also got psyched out and my DS applied ED to Tufts and got in. It's a great school BUT it wasn't his #1 or #2 and he has regrets. And a couple of his friends with similar profiles got in RD and/or on the waiting list. And they were able to choose between several options.

With our DD we are going to only encourage her to apply ED to her absolute #1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with OP.

Make sure to ask your kid if their ED choice is their absolute #1 choice. If not, don't do it.

We also got psyched out and my DS applied ED to Tufts and got in. It's a great school BUT it wasn't his #1 or #2 and he has regrets. And a couple of his friends with similar profiles got in RD and/or on the waiting list. And they were able to choose between several options.

With our DD we are going to only encourage her to apply ED to her absolute #1.

Depends on your area. In our school, Tufts is a tough admit, no one gets in RD. The ED kids are top kids.

Congrats.