I've heard that you need to be careful about applying ED if financial aid is very important to you. You commit to the school, and can't easily get out of that commitment if the financial aid package isn't what you need. Technically, the school offers you the financial aid package they think your income supports, but the school's opinion about that may be very different from your own.

I recently heard the best explanation from an admissions officer as to why admission rates are higher for Early Decision, even though admission criteria is the same as for Regular Decision. He said that students that apply ED have really researched different schools and have really identified the best fit for themselves. It comes across in their essays and short answers. They put more effort into the application and show that they understand what the school is all about and how they fit the school. In the Regular Decision rounds, students put less effort in to distinguishing the different schools. They reuse the same essays (some forget to change the school names! ) and generally don't show that they really get the school they are applying to.

If your student isn't passionate about one of the three schools above the others, randomly applying to one ED isn't going to improve their chances.

My DS' number one school did not offer ED so he didn't apply to any other schools ED. Ironically the school he's going to (William & Mary) has ED but it was not his first choice (or second or third) and he got in RD.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really depends on teh school. Nick Anderson who covers higher ed for the Washington Post tweeted a link to an analysis of some "prestigious" institutions CDS data re ED/RD (copied below).

At most of these schools the % admitted was higher for ED than RD, but the applicant pool is also quite different.

What really stood out was the very high percentage of the incoming class that come from the admitted ED pool at manh of these schools.

A few examples that caught my eye:

Bates 71% (% incoming student admitted ED)
Colorado College 56%
Duke 49%
Emory 49%
Kenyon 51%
Washington and Lee 57%

http://www.personalcollegeadmissions.com/early-decision

Yes, the applicant pool for ED is wealthier.

Also, at many top schools the athletes are applying ED, along with legacy candidates. It is a pool with more hooked candidates.
Schools love to fill their class from ED because those students are committed to accepting and attending (mostly) and that helps the college protect their yield which is usually a critical component in rankings.

ED is is great strategy if you get accepted. But many schools reject/defer many candidates...

Anonymous wrote:My DS cannot decide which of 3 schools is his favorite...it's his personality. I've been told that if you don't apply ED, you are at a distinct advantage. Is that true?

Yes, it's true. There are a handful of exceptions.

Anonymous wrote:There is definitely a big advantage in applying ED. For certain schools it's dramatic. I think for Northwestern this past year it was something like 25% ED to 6% RD.

It's a no-brainer move if you've targeted the school you want to get into and can afford it. But there's no crime in a kid being undecided. It's normal. If he can't yet decide which of the schools is his favorite, I would apply to all and let the process play out.

If the kid is aiming for a top 15-20 school, not signalling with ED will likely mean the choices in RD will drop to safeties. Exceptions are especially hooked kids...URMS + football, 1st to college, Z list. At least that's what we saw in the last few years. The perfect school ends up being the school they're happy in.
And it's funny how things will work out. We know kids who thought they were living the dream and then were so disappointed with reality, others who didn't expect a dream and got it, and some who just are neh. IMO pick among the three based on your head and give it the best shot to be done.

Anonymous wrote:Really depends on teh school. Nick Anderson who covers higher ed for the Washington Post tweeted a link to an analysis of some "prestigious" institutions CDS data re ED/RD (copied below).

At most of these schools the % admitted was higher for ED than RD, but the applicant pool is also quite different.

What really stood out was the very high percentage of the incoming class that come from the admitted ED pool at manh of these schools.

A few examples that caught my eye:

Bates 71% (% incoming student admitted ED)
Colorado College 56%
Duke 49%
Emory 49%
Kenyon 51%
Washington and Lee 57%

http://www.personalcollegeadmissions.com/early-decision

Yes, the applicant pool for ED is wealthier.

OP I know a family who have twice used the ED to their advantage. They chose an OOS school which was a match for their kids in terms of SATs, ACTs, GPA etc and was affordable to them. They applied ED and got in. Its not rocket science. It may give you a massive edge at some places where the school is really a safety and you don't want to reach, or it can be a perfect fit for a match school. Its Russian roulette for a reach school and probably will make zero difference.

Who else -at first glance -thought this was about the other ED ?

Really depends on teh school. Nick Anderson who covers higher ed for the Washington Post tweeted a link to an analysis of some "prestigious" institutions CDS data re ED/RD (copied below).

At most of these schools the % admitted was higher for ED than RD, but the applicant pool is also quite different.

What really stood out was the very high percentage of the incoming class that come from the admitted ED pool at manh of these schools.

A few examples that caught my eye:

Bates 71% (% incoming student admitted ED)
Colorado College 56%
Duke 49%
Emory 49%
Kenyon 51%
Washington and Lee 57%

http://www.personalcollegeadmissions.com/early-decision

There is definitely a big advantage in applying ED. For certain schools it's dramatic. I think for Northwestern this past year it was something like 25% ED to 6% RD.

It's a no-brainer move if you've targeted the school you want to get into and can afford it. But there's no crime in a kid being undecided. It's normal. If he can't yet decide which of the schools is his favorite, I would apply to all and let the process play out.

If he can't decide between them, it doesn't matter which one he chooses to apply to ED.

Or is it, he wants A, you want B and DH wants C?

I mean DIS-advantage....(typing too fast!)

My DS cannot decide which of 3 schools is his favorite...it's his personality. I've been told that if you don't apply ED, you are at a distinct advantage. Is that true?