<p>I have to admit I haven’t read every word here, but I want to chime in as a parent in the throes of helping DC with college visits, etc, re HYPMS and college app process in general, the app process is not the same as it was in “our” day (taking this liberally).</p>
<p>Given the options of ED1, ED2, EA SCEA, reg and open admissions, strategy plays a larger and larger part these days. Although DC has the grades and SAT scores and Varsity sports and ECs to be a contender for HYPMS, lots of BSs are feeder schools for elite colleges other than HYPMS. A lot of the kids are encouraged to take the bird in the hand, with high admission rates for ED for that particular BS. In some ways, ED really has done a disservice to kids who become fearful that they may be out of the running for those elite LACs if they don’t pick them as top choice in the ED round. Many of those schools fill a large portion of the class early and want the students who want them. Then if you don’t apply ED, (not EA), your chances of getting in reg decision go way down. Many kids are being encouraged to take the bird in the hand so to speak. I liked it better when everyone applied Reg Decision, then you looked at all your options.Some kids will never know if they could have gotten into HYPMYS because they were encouraged to go another route.</p>