<p>Cue7, so your original question had nothing to do with the split between Early and Regular? It sure sounded like it did. Then why the plea for Chicago to specifically increase RD applicants? What difference would it make if they increased the EA pool or the RD pool by the same amount?</p>
<p>As for the question of why Duke or other places get more total applicants than Chicago, the answers obviously vary a lot depending on the peer institution; there is no one-size-fits-all answer. For Duke, I suspect it has a lot to do with climate, D1 sports, perception of campus life. For Stanford, I suspect the same three things plus a West Coast and high tech ambience are important. For Brown, I suspect the Ivy League affiliation, possibly better financial aid, and chances to rub shoulders with more kids of the rich and famous.</p>