Has anyone regretted their ED choice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son’s friend was steered to EA MIT from Ed Penn. ended up didn’t get in MIT ea. WL at Penn then rejected.

Your son's friend's strategy makes no sense because EA MIT is non-restrictive and the kid could have applied to Penn ED and MIT EA at the same time.

This wasn’t allowed at our private, though other schools may not care.

They also try to convince EA Georgetown admits to withdraw all RD applications, but it is not a firm rule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of DC’s friends is regretting it because she was steered by school counselor to change her ED school. It turned out now kids with lower stats are ED her original choice. Should stick to your guns.

My relative w 1550 SAT regretted early to BC. Felt should have aimed higher, but likes it.

So why didn't they pick their actual top choice ? However, their top choice should not be made based on "aiming higher" but rather on the best school for them. That's the issue, pick what is top for your kid (hint not all T20 are the best for your kid, it's not possible)

I think we wanted to be strategic. College counselor said only 50% change early at BC. I think status wanted in order to feed low self esteem.

Yep, that is the risk. While I agree with people saying as parent's we have to help our kids think this through but I don't think people realize how hard this actually is. There is a lot of pressure to make the "strategic" decision and ED to their 2nd or 3rd choice and I think parents generally care more than the kids about having it all over early. It is not easy for kids, even ones with supportive parents, go against the ED grain.

Life is never "easy". To be able to consider multiple schools and apply ED to any is a privilege.
Most kids apply to 2-3 state U and go to the cheapest overall

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of DC’s friends is regretting it because she was steered by school counselor to change her ED school. It turned out now kids with lower stats are ED her original choice. Should stick to your guns.

My relative w 1550 SAT regretted early to BC. Felt should have aimed higher, but likes it.

So why didn't they pick their actual top choice ? However, their top choice should not be made based on "aiming higher" but rather on the best school for them. That's the issue, pick what is top for your kid (hint not all T20 are the best for your kid, it's not possible)

DP. My kid didn’t because our private never gets anyone into this one school (barring an occasional athletic recruit) per out counselor. We weighed the odds and it seemed like a th throwaway. Kid was WL there during RD and then into many equivalent schools/other Ivies so now we think it might have worked out if he chose to SCEA there. Oh well. Happy at a different school,

And that is a great choice. ED to a school where the rates for everyone is low and knowing nobody from your school ever gets in would not be a smart choice. Yes, then you look at the data and help your kid realize that it would be wasted (99.999% chance of that) so let's look at the 2nd choice and do that. I get the gaming and in this case it's reasonable.
what I don't get is people who do this then get buyers remorse about the "highly unattainable school". You looked at the data and realized you were not getting in, so why waste your ED there. Wrap your head around that and pick the next choice

I agree with this. The difference between top schools is not so vast. Lots of people shoot for the moon and end of getting shut out of all of their top choices. I think the mentality is 1st choice or bust, but really, in this market, any kid who gets into one of their top 3 favorite places should be thrilled. And if your kid doesn't have at least 3 places where they're excited to attend, it's because the parents allowed them to fixate on one school to the exclusion of all of the other amazing schools out there.

Exactly!

My kid's top "Safety" was so good, they seriously considered it in March and April of senior year and revisited it in April, despite 3 acceptances at schools in the 30-50 range and First year abroad at NEU.

That is what you want---you should have safeties you really like---yeah they only had 1 they really liked, but we knew they would get in most likely and 3 targets that were very likely---the safety was WPI, kid wanted Engineering, we are not from the NE so geographic diversity, and female. And kid's ECs are not Engineering/stem, so even more attractive (and WPI pushes for more females to attend and more people who are not 10000% stem focused). So a very targeted Safety where we were certain kid would gain admissions.

Had we only focused on Reaches, it would have been a miserable Dec-MAy, as kid was WL or rejected at all of them. So happy we had the best targets and safeties (which is where your kid is likely ending up). It's your choice---but I highly recommend you focus on those

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[b]My son’s friend was steered to EA MIT from Ed Penn. ended up didn’t get in MIT ea. WL at Penn then rejected.

Your son's friend's strategy makes no sense because EA MIT is non-restrictive and the kid could have applied to Penn ED and MIT EA at the same time.

This wasn’t allowed at our private, though other schools may not care.

They also try to convince EA Georgetown admits to withdraw all RD applications, but it is not a firm rule.

I think you are missing the key point and the underlying problem being pointed out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son’s friend was steered to EA MIT from Ed Penn. ended up didn’t get in MIT ea. WL at Penn then rejected.

It makes no admissions difference whether one applies EA or RD to MIT. But applying ED does make a difference at Penn. Whatever private school that counseled this strategy should never be allowed to advise students again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[b]My son’s friend was steered to EA MIT from Ed Penn. ended up didn’t get in MIT ea. WL at Penn then rejected.

Your son's friend's strategy makes no sense because EA MIT is non-restrictive and the kid could have applied to Penn ED and MIT EA at the same time.

This wasn’t allowed at our private, though other schools may not care.

They also try to convince EA Georgetown admits to withdraw all RD applications, but it is not a firm rule.

I think you are missing the key point and the underlying problem being pointed out

There isn’t too much to do as he was steered. He can say yes or no, of course. But I suspect this is KPI driven move by PP’s counselor.

[Anonymous]

No. But I regret nailing your mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of DC’s friends is regretting it because she was steered by school counselor to change her ED school. It turned out now kids with lower stats are ED her original choice. Should stick to your guns.

My relative w 1550 SAT regretted early to BC. Felt should have aimed higher, but likes it.

So why didn't they pick their actual top choice ? However, their top choice should not be made based on "aiming higher" but rather on the best school for them. That's the issue, pick what is top for your kid (hint not all T20 are the best for your kid, it's not possible)

DP. My kid didn’t because our private never gets anyone into this one school (barring an occasional athletic recruit) per out counselor. We weighed the odds and it seemed like a th throwaway. Kid was WL there during RD and then into many equivalent schools/other Ivies so now we think it might have worked out if he chose to SCEA there. Oh well. Happy at a different school,

And that is a great choice. ED to a school where the rates for everyone is low and knowing nobody from your school ever gets in would not be a smart choice. Yes, then you look at the data and help your kid realize that it would be wasted (99.999% chance of that) so let's look at the 2nd choice and do that. I get the gaming and in this case it's reasonable.
what I don't get is people who do this then get buyers remorse about the "highly unattainable school". You looked at the data and realized you were not getting in, so why waste your ED there. Wrap your head around that and pick the next choice

I agree with this. The difference between top schools is not so vast. Lots of people shoot for the moon and end of getting shut out of all of their top choices. I think the mentality is 1st choice or bust, but really, in this market, any kid who gets into one of their top 3 favorite places should be thrilled. And if your kid doesn't have at least 3 places where they're excited to attend, it's because the parents allowed them to fixate on one school to the exclusion of all of the other amazing schools out there.

Exactly!

My kid's top "Safety" was so good, they seriously considered it in March and April of senior year and revisited it in April, despite 3 acceptances at schools in the 30-50 range and First year abroad at NEU.

That is what you want---you should have safeties you really like---yeah they only had 1 they really liked, but we knew they would get in most likely and 3 targets that were very likely---the safety was WPI, kid wanted Engineering, we are not from the NE so geographic diversity, and female. And kid's ECs are not Engineering/stem, so even more attractive (and WPI pushes for more females to attend and more people who are not 10000% stem focused). So a very targeted Safety where we were certain kid would gain admissions.

Had we only focused on Reaches, it would have been a miserable Dec-MAy, as kid was WL or rejected at all of them. So happy we had the best targets and safeties (which is where your kid is likely ending up). It's your choice---but I highly recommend you focus on those

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[b]My son’s friend was steered to EA MIT from Ed Penn. ended up didn’t get in MIT ea. WL at Penn then rejected.

Your son's friend's strategy makes no sense because EA MIT is non-restrictive and the kid could have applied to Penn ED and MIT EA at the same time.

This wasn’t allowed at our private, though other schools may not care.

They also try to convince EA Georgetown admits to withdraw all RD applications, but it is not a firm rule.

I think you are missing the key point and the underlying problem being pointed out

There isn’t too much to do as he was steered. He can say yes or no, of course. But I suspect this is KPI driven move by PP’s counselor.

Yes, the steering is the real problem. I think some on this thread over estimate a high school senior's ability to resist that or their and their parent's ability to counter the strategy of the counselor, especially a private HS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the short answer is don't apply ED if it's not the first choice school.

My kids applied ED and got into T20 schools in that round. One and done. Very simple. Neither is spending four years lamenting their chances at Harvard or Princeton because these weren't schools they wanted to go to regardless.

Having gone though this though, I do think the SCEA schools - Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, CalTech, Notre Dame - are losing a lot of talent because of Early Decision. Those smart students aren't applying anymore because they were already accepted elsewhere.

So the way it's working today is that a lot of accepted HYPSM students today are rejects from the early round elsewhere. The ED schools are generally taking the best students as quickly as they can. And Harvard and Princeton get the leftovers.

It happened at our private

Notre Dame is not SCEA. You can apply EA to any other school, private or public, including Georgetown and MIT. You are NOT allowed to apply anywhere ED.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of DC’s friends is regretting it because she was steered by school counselor to change her ED school. It turned out now kids with lower stats are ED her original choice. Should stick to your guns.

My relative w 1550 SAT regretted early to BC. Felt should have aimed higher, but likes it.

The reality is that if your child is accepted ED, they inevitably feel like they should have aimed higher. If they hold out for RD and get rejected from their top choices, they feel like they should have locked in a T20 with ED. There's no way to win.

This x 1000. This is exactly how I’ve seen it play out over and over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of DC’s friends is regretting it because she was steered by school counselor to change her ED school. It turned out now kids with lower stats are ED her original choice. Should stick to your guns.

My relative w 1550 SAT regretted early to BC. Felt should have aimed higher, but likes it.

The reality is that if your child is accepted ED, they inevitably feel like they should have aimed higher. If they hold out for RD and get rejected from their top choices, they feel like they should have locked in a T20 with ED. There's no way to win.

This x 1000. This is exactly how I’ve seen it play out over and over.

This was not our experience. My high stats daughter was accepted ED last year to a top 25. I was worried she’d have regrets when her friends’ RD results started rolling in, but it wasn’t the case. She remained comfortable with her decision and has been very happy at her college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of DC’s friends is regretting it because she was steered by school counselor to change her ED school. It turned out now kids with lower stats are ED her original choice. Should stick to your guns.

My relative w 1550 SAT regretted early to BC. Felt should have aimed higher, but likes it.

So why didn't they pick their actual top choice ? However, their top choice should not be made based on "aiming higher" but rather on the best school for them. That's the issue, pick what is top for your kid (hint not all T20 are the best for your kid, it's not possible)

DP. My kid didn’t because our private never gets anyone into this one school (barring an occasional athletic recruit) per out counselor. We weighed the odds and it seemed like a th throwaway. Kid was WL there during RD and then into many equivalent schools/other Ivies so now we think it might have worked out if he chose to SCEA there. Oh well. Happy at a different school,

And that is a great choice. ED to a school where the rates for everyone is low and knowing nobody from your school ever gets in would not be a smart choice. Yes, then you look at the data and help your kid realize that it would be wasted (99.999% chance of that) so let's look at the 2nd choice and do that. I get the gaming and in this case it's reasonable.
what I don't get is people who do this then get buyers remorse about the "highly unattainable school". You looked at the data and realized you were not getting in, so why waste your ED there. Wrap your head around that and pick the next choice

I agree with this. The difference between top schools is not so vast. Lots of people shoot for the moon and end of getting shut out of all of their top choices. I think the mentality is 1st choice or bust, but really, in this market, any kid who gets into one of their top 3 favorite places should be thrilled. And if your kid doesn't have at least 3 places where they're excited to attend, it's because the parents allowed them to fixate on one school to the exclusion of all of the other amazing schools out there.

Exactly!

My kid's top "Safety" was so good, they seriously considered it in March and April of senior year and revisited it in April, despite 3 acceptances at schools in the 30-50 range and First year abroad at NEU.

That is what you want---you should have safeties you really like---yeah they only had 1 they really liked, but we knew they would get in most likely and 3 targets that were very likely---the safety was WPI, kid wanted Engineering, we are not from the NE so geographic diversity, and female. And kid's ECs are not Engineering/stem, so even more attractive (and WPI pushes for more females to attend and more people who are not 10000% stem focused). So a very targeted Safety where we were certain kid would gain admissions.

Had we only focused on Reaches, it would have been a miserable Dec-MAy, as kid was WL or rejected at all of them. So happy we had the best targets and safeties (which is where your kid is likely ending up). It's your choice---but I highly recommend you focus on those

+1

[Anonymous]

DC says there are 10+ kids that they know of applying ED to Duke at their large NOVA public. Given how few has gotten in historically, it seems a waste not to ED to UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son’s friend was steered to EA MIT from Ed Penn. ended up didn’t get in MIT ea. WL at Penn then rejected.

Your son's friend's strategy makes no sense because EA MIT is non-restrictive and the kid could have applied to Penn ED and MIT EA at the same time.

This wasn’t allowed at our private, though other schools may not care.

They also try to convince EA Georgetown admits to withdraw all RD applications, but it is not a firm rule.

You pay money to be treated this way? “Wasn’t allowed”? Hogwash.