<p>I have a friend with a son looking at applying to HM. Can he apply EA to schools like MIT/Caltech (high reaches) and if he’s not accepted, then apply ED2 to Mudd, which would definitely be his first choice at that point? Or does applying to those schools remove him from ED eligibility? Of course he understands that if he was accepted ED that he’d remove his app from other schools (if he was deferred for example). Thanks!</p>
<p>I think that’s the whole point of ED2, that it’s a second chance. Not sure, though.</p>
<p>BTW, Mudd doesn’t have to be a backup school if you don’t make it into Caltech. Some kids are accepted to both and CHOOSE Mudd. ;)</p>
<p>The EA applications do not preclude him from applying ED or ED2 to anyplace else (including Mudd). However, if he is accepted with an ED (or ED2 application), he MUST accept that ED/ED2 acceptance and withdraw all other applications. Usually ED2 is timed so it is after regular ED and most EA responses are received (so he will probably know the status of his EA applications at that time).</p>
<p>My son is applying to Harvey Mudd Early Decision, he absolutely loves it, while thinking also of applying Early Action to MIT, CalTech and UChicago. Intparent, are you saying that is allowed? It seems to be alright to me since the latter three are not restrictive EA, but I was not sure about Harvey Mudd’s position on non restrictive Early Action at other schools while applying there ED. We don’t want to do anything unethical at all. Of course, he would withdraw his apps elsewhere if accepted.</p>
<p>Unless one of those schools specifically states on their admissions website that other EA applications are not allowed, it is fine for him to do that. But if he is accepted to the ED school, he MUST attend and withdraw all other apps – that is for sure. And he can only apply ED to one school.</p>
<p>I just checked Mudd’s website to make sure, and they list no restrictions on Early Action applications to other colleges, so I think they would be fine with this. I also looked at U of Chicago (since my kid is applying EA there), and found this: “Our Early Action program is open and non-binding.”. That means you can put in an ED app someplace else, and other EA apps as you choose to.</p>
<p>There is something called “Single Choice Early Action” where you can only apply one place early action… but it is infrequent (for example, Stanford and Yale used to have it, but I am not sure if they still have it). The way colleges handle EA keeps changing, so I am hesitant to say for sure without checking each college website. If one of your kid’s colleges offers that EA Single Action choice, the web site should clearly state that as an option with info on how it works. So you will want to take a look at MIT and Caltech’s websites for info on how they handle EA to make sure they do not have any restrictions on other EA or ED apps.</p>