Rising senior parents - don't do ED
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Anonymous
Chicago far superior to Brown |
Anonymous
I don't think the kid is the problem. Sounds like he ED'd to the school he wanted and this deluded parent thinks dc could have gotten into HYP because she's in competition with the other moms at school for bragging rights. Feel sorry for the kid-- I'm sure he feels her disappointment. What a crappy parent. |
Anonymous
No ED for HYPMS (including Yale). Also it's a far far stretch from Chicago to Yale. 
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Anonymous
Chicago has ED2 because people don’t choose it. It’s in a crappy area. It’s not a fun place. It’s a back up to the Ivies—except for those who are afraid they won’t get in anywhere RD —so they ED at Uchi for a sure thing. U Chicago is test optional and they have to actively recruit by sending mailers constantly—so much wasted paper from all of their soliciting solely to raise the number of applicants to skew their numbers. The Ivies don’t have to send out mailers. It’s popular at one Big3 that’s like a feeder to it, but not at most other privates. |
Anonymous
+1 and mom has to constantly come on to disparage all the Ivy kids. Her kid is so much smarter than them blah blah blah. |
Anonymous
STA? |
Anonymous
+1 My kid had balls and confidence. No ED anywhere. He ignored counselors that like to low ball kids. It paid off handsomely in the RD round. 9 out of 10, 2Ivies, T-10s/20s. |
Anonymous
Whatever. That’s your opinion but far from what many others think. |
Anonymous
Chicago has a lot of smart kids but it’s definitely gaming USNews rankings, and there is some brinkmanship in their multiple rounds of ED that other schools don’t have to play to build a cohort of top students. Chicago economics is a particular philosophy, and I wonder if they had a hand in this ‘game theory’ approach. But not an economist. |
Anonymous
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Check out AI analysis of its game theory: The University of Chicago's use of multiple Early Decision (ED) rounds (ED I, ED II, and even a "Summer Student Early Notification" or SSEN option) can be effectively analyzed through the lens of game theory. The core idea is to maximize their "yield rate," which is the percentage of admitted students who actually enroll. A high yield rate is a strong indicator of a university's desirability and can positively impact its rankings and reputation.
Here's a breakdown of their scheme in terms of game theory: Players: * University of Chicago (UChicago): The university, aiming to maximize its yield of top students and enhance its prestige. * High-Achieving Applicants: Students who are applying to highly selective universities, often with multiple options. Strategies: UChicago's Strategies: * Offer Multiple Binding Early Decision Rounds (ED I, ED II, SSEN): This is the key strategic move. * ED I (Binding, Nov 1 deadline): Targets students who are absolutely certain UChicago is their top choice. * ED II (Binding, Jan 6 deadline): Catches students who might have been deferred from ED I at other top schools, or who became certain of UChicago as their top choice later in the application cycle. * SSEN (Binding, earlier for summer program attendees): Aims to lock in commitment from students who have already demonstrated interest and capability through their pre-college summer programs. * Early Action (EA - Non-binding, Nov 1 deadline): A non-binding option for students who are interested but not ready to commit. This allows UChicago to identify a pool of strong candidates and potentially defer them to ED II, subtly nudging them towards a binding commitment. * Regular Decision (RD - Non-binding, Jan 6 deadline): The standard application round for the majority of applicants. Applicant's Strategies: * Apply ED I: Commit to UChicago as a first choice. * Apply ED II: Commit to UChicago as a first choice after ED I decisions, or after further consideration. * Apply SSEN: Commit to UChicago as a first choice if they've participated in a summer program. * Apply EA: Express interest in UChicago without a binding commitment, keeping other options open. * Apply RD: Apply to UChicago as part of a broader set of schools, keeping all options open. * Strategic Deferral Response: If deferred from EA to RD, or encouraged to apply ED II, the applicant faces a decision: commit to ED II or stay in the RD pool. Payoffs (for UChicago): * High Yield: Students admitted through ED rounds must enroll, guaranteeing a high yield rate from these cohorts. * Prestige/Rankings: A higher yield rate contributes to UChicago's reputation and may influence college rankings. * Predictability: Filling a significant portion of the class early (some sources suggest over 70%) provides certainty for enrollment planning. * Stronger Cohort: ED applicants are generally highly motivated and have strong academic profiles, as they are making a significant commitment. Payoffs (for Applicants): * Increased Admission Odds: Applying ED generally offers higher acceptance rates compared to RD, especially at highly selective institutions like UChicago. This is because UChicago is willing to "reward" demonstrated commitment. * Early Decision/Reduced Stress: Knowing their college destination earlier can reduce stress. * Guaranteed Spot: If accepted ED, their college search is over. The Game Theory Scheme: * Signaling and Commitment: UChicago's ED rounds are a powerful signaling mechanism. By offering binding options, they are essentially asking applicants to "put their money where their mouth is" regarding their interest. Applicants who choose ED are signaling their high commitment to UChicago. * Asymmetric Information: Initially, UChicago doesn't know how interested each applicant truly is. The ED rounds help to mitigate this asymmetric information. Applicants who apply ED reveal their strong preference, providing valuable information to UChicago. * Nash Equilibrium (Implicit): While not a formal simultaneous game with a strict Nash Equilibrium, the system aims to create a dynamic where it's mutually beneficial for UChicago to offer ED and for highly interested students to apply ED. * For UChicago: Admitting a highly committed student (via ED) is preferable to admitting a student in RD who might choose another school. * For the Applicant: Applying ED offers a higher chance of admission to their top choice, outweighing the loss of optionality. * Sequential Play and Strategic Timing: * ED I: The first move for the most committed applicants. UChicago benefits from locking in these students early. * EA (and deferrals to ED II): UChicago can use EA as a "feeler" round. If a strong EA applicant is deferred but then applies ED II, it signals an even stronger commitment, turning a non-binding interest into a binding one. This is a clever way to convert potential losses into guaranteed wins. * ED II: Provides a second bite at the apple for students who were unsure for ED I, or whose circumstances changed (e.g., received a deferral from another dream school). * Competitive Advantage: In the highly competitive landscape of elite college admissions, UChicago's robust ED strategy gives them a significant edge in securing top talent and boosting their yield compared to schools that rely more heavily on non-binding options. They essentially "front-load" their class with highly committed students. In essence, UChicago's multi-round Early Decision scheme is a sophisticated application of game theory to optimize its admissions outcomes. It leverages the concept of commitment to extract valuable information from applicants, secure a high yield of desired students, and ultimately strengthen its position as a top-tier university. |
Anonymous
| Mine ED’d to a target bc that’s where they wanted to go most of all. Worked out great, couldn’t be happier. |
Anonymous
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I have seen that some parents of kids (especially those who were high stats and applied ED to UChicago) regret it. Its because Chicago takes above average kids from our private school so parents feel their kids worked hard to land at the same place at some regular kids. The kids did not want to take the risk.
Op - once your kid goes to college in a few months, it will not matter. The "what if" question will always be there with applying to ED that is not one's top choice. |
Anonymous
| Lol - most people don't have this problem because ED is only an option for wealthy families |
Anonymous
| ED worked for us, one application and relax. |
Anonymous
| ED is for colleges, recruited athletes, and suckers. |