Agree that an ED admission is supposed to mean withdrawing other applications, but:
So it is possible for the ED admit to end up with other decisions as well, although the ED admit is supposed to commit to the ED school in any case.
The UCs make an exception if the school doesnât offer art, but incorporates art indirectly through other course work. I know this from first hand experience (my daughterâs NJ based STEM magnet school).
Keep in mind that youâre going to have to apply EA to all the public schools in this list. Maybe narrow down to 2 or 3 - thereâs really no point in applying to so many schools if you really donât like them. I think Wisconsin, Purdue and UMD will all be likely, especially given the geographic diversity you bring. I really donât see the point of applying to Rutgers, tbh.
MIT, Stanford, CMU and Chicago all release their early decisions within 2 weeks or less of each other (some are days apart), so decisions from all will be in before OP has to withdraw his apps. But note: 67% of MIT EA applicants are deferred, and second, OP will not be able to apply to Stanford (REA) if he EDâs to Chicago.
Canât he do ED2 to Chicago ? Wonât REA be out by then ? Couldnât find a date but ED2 is Jan 5
I suggested other schools more like Chicago. Any interest OP ? A large public just doesnât seem a place you should be four years.
Put rank aside.
FWIW - as someone whoâs hired computer professionals for decades - UChicago is a very, very highly-regarded undergraduate institution for computer science, and top companies (and their alumni!) are very happy to hire UChicago graduates. Yes, right now, jobs in CS for new grads are hard to come by, whether you went to Stanford or the local community college - but when youâre interviewing for your first job, you arenât really competing against everyone from every school in the country, and hiring managers arenât stack ranking by CS department rankings. Assuming you arenât chasing a very niche interest that a specific school might be especially deep in (and you arenât mentioning that), I would have no worries at all about the strength and appropriate prestige of UChicago for your undergraduate CS degree.
Most rankings of departments are based on their graduate schools, and UChicagoâs graduate program is comparatively smaller than some of its undergraduate peer institutions. Not your situation. I have zero concern about your employability vs. Stanford, Cornell, Berkeley, etc.
If you love it, go for it.
Yes that is definitely possible.
Thatâs what Iâm saying. If he EDs to Chicago, he canât apply early to the others. So the decisions wonât be coming in until the RD round.
No, there is no restriction against applying simultaneously to other schoolsâ unrestricted/non-binding early action. So for example, he could apply ED to Chicago as well as EA to MIT. What youâre describing is restricted or single choice early action (but the result is not binding in those cases).
Ok, so he could apply to MIT. But not Stanford or CMU, as those are REA and ED, respectively. Thanks for clarifying.
I attended a summer program this summer, so I can do ED0.
Then I think youâll have a very strong chance of being accepted by UChicago. But did they send you an email notifying you that youâre eligible to apply ED0? (Formally known as the Summer Session Early Notification Program)
Agree with this. And the reason this is true is not because UChicago has a great CS program, but rather because the UChicago students taking CS are very strong to begin with. Itâs the same reason that Harvard and Yale CS students do well in searching for jobs, despite neither being particularly strong in CS.
Yup, I got it today.
Back to safeties - so you like Stanford (you can REA) and ED2 Chicago. Or you can ED0 - but then you give up your chance at the dream.
But letâs say you get turned down at both - then what?
Go back to my note on - you like Chicago - what is safe to that? I noted Rochester as safe and Tufts and Rice as alternatives.
Your safeties are most important - so a Rochester - is that of interest or you rather the big public?
And I had asked because itâs interesting and youâre in state - have you looked at the Raikes program? As CS struggles, perhaps the crossover with business might be a good hedge against a tough job market.
ThoughtsâŠ
Iâve looked at Raikes - itâs definitely what Iâll do if I donât end up getting into any other schools. In particular, Iâm also looking at Wisconsin. If I am chosen as a National Merit Scholar, I believe I am guaranteed admission into Madison.
If UChicago is this best after MIT, Stanford etc (which arenât very realistic to aim for) then I would ED 0 to UChicago
I believe that guarantee is only for national merit finalists from Wisconsin
If youâre an NM Finalist or Semi, you can go to school for free - or near free.
That would be a huge savings (like $400K) over Chicago - would that interest you?
You donât need assured admission to Wisconsin. Youâll be in regardless.
But Iâm not sure why youâd consider it (vs. a Rochester, as an example).
You are clearly not desiring a large public. There are plenty of alternatives if Chicago/MIT/Stanford donât work out.
An RPI, as an exampleâŠhas GREAT outcomes.
FWIW, and because I think this is still relevant to OP, I agree that some of this is because of the perceived quality of a UChicago CS student, but also because UChicago delivers an undergraduate education in computer science that prepares students for entry-level CS jobs and graduate school opportunities just as well as Stanford, Berkeley, etc. - as do Yale and Harvard, for that matter. The differences between the UChicago/Yale CS departments and the Stanford/Berkeley CS departments are real, but they apply almost entirely to the depth of their graduate research programs, the impact of their research on the field, and some specific depth in niches. I want OP to know that the CS Undergraduate education he might get at UChicago would be just as valuable as the one he might get at a higher-rated CS department.
Safety schools are important, but if the OP chooses to ED0 to U Chicago and sends in their application early in the window, the notification date is so early (and rolling!) that they could wait until being notified before submitting other applications (even to meet EA or ED1 deadlines). Safetyish schools typically have simple enough applications that OP could choose them and put together applications in October, if denied from UChicago.
From https://summer.uchicago.edu/pre-college/admitted-students/ssen/
Eligible students may apply using this option from September 1 to October 15, and will receive an admissions decision three weeks (or prior to November 1) after completing their full application during this time frame.
Makes sense. I just worry OP is giving away the chance to go to top choices by going ED to the not top choice. But it makes sense. Thx for the explanation.