Case Western? I think they are hyper aware of their super low yield rate and defer a lot of really high stat kids.
1 Like
Interestingly, although I dislike ED as a tactic, I don’t particularly mind relevant colleges “yield protecting” in RD, at least not in the current environment. If a lot of high stats kids these days are going to “shotgun” 20+ schools, I think it is a reasonable response for colleges that are often on, but not high on, such shotgun lists to try to protect themselves from wasting a lot of open offers on these kids.
That does leave the problem of what to do if you are a high stats kid applying to one of these colleges not as a deep backup, but as an actual top choice. But I would prefer that to be about demonstrated interest, essays, recommendations, interviews, and so on, not something as drastic as ED.
And you could also offer merit. That’s what some colleges that are in this position do–a lot less waitlisting/rejecting of high stats kids who apply RD, and more wooing with merit.
2 Likes
IME relatively more yield protecting happens in EA for schools that have it, like Case. Case is still one of the few relatively selective schools that announces EA results in December, and they do not want to give an admit to a kid admitted ED to their first choice school. I do think Case, Chicago and schools that have ED/EA/RD do infer that the students who apply EA don’t consider that school their first choice. That’s wrong IMO (maybe some need merit or don’t want to apply ED for whatever reason), but I think that supposition can lead to deferrals as well.
For schools with ED and RD only, like Tufts, RD is obviously where yield protection would happen.
3 Likes
My D26 was excited about Case when she applied EA. If she had been admitted in that round she would have visited right away, and I think they could have had a good chance of convincing her to attend (it is a great school for what she wants to do). But after she was deferred and asked to switch to ED, then not admitted until RD, she ended up feeling less excited about the school, and it was also difficult and expensive to arrange a visit so late in the season, so she didn’t end up visiting. So… she ended up being a negative for Case’s yield rather than a positive. I wonder how many other kids lose interest after being deferred and asked to switch to ED?
6 Likes
I’ve known a number of students who reacted similarly to that set of circumstances (and not just at Case.) Case and some other schools really need to figure out a way to not lose these students/better identify which EA students are more likely to yield, and admit them. If I were a Case trustee and heard the story you just shared, I would be less than happy.
6 Likes
What about colleges like UMD CP and UMass that accept just about all of their incoming freshman class in the EA round?
1 Like
Colleges like Wesleyan University, and Smith and Carleton gaming the system this way?
Certain colleges note this up front, that your chances are less as they fill the class.
As there’s no binding, I think it’s fair.
3 Likes
I can’t speak to the rest of these, but I’ll note that Wesleyan with no fee, no supplemental essay, AND no demonstrated interest tracking is the weirdest of all. It seemed strange to me that there was no meaningful way to show interest if you apply RD. And yet they do send out a reasonably high (40% of the class is RD) number of acceptances in RD.
Case is very odd. They dont require a supplemental essay (for the majority of their majors - there may be a couple?). They also dont consider visiting the school as “demonstrated interest”.
It seems the only way to demonstrate interest is to apply ED. They obviously accept EA students but they also defer very tippy top kids because they assume they’ll never commit.
Maybe they have a former T20 admissions officer on staff. Would you take this this student? Yes? Ok, lets defer them.
2 Likes
I think they feel like demonstrated interest is stupid. Like what does it mean and how creepy is it to track clicks on their website and how elitist is it to value trips to campus. I support them in not liking it. And maybe they are ahead of the game with no supplemental essays. But they still do create a great class, and are still test optional.
1 Like
I dunno. Their yield is horrific - by deferring they are lowering their yield since they’ll ultimately admit the qualified kids anyway.
They need kids. Not to chase them away.
1 Like
They’re a need aware school that views school visits as elitist? Doubtful.
If theyre need aware, they should encourage students to visit and track those from far away.
1 Like
But they don’t. They have a very specific philosophy. I was very upset when Wesleyan stopped need blind. Very few selective LACs left that are need blind with very deep pockets.
I don’t know about UMass, but UMD representatives state this very clearly when they visit high schools, so I don’t see it as a manipulative practice.
3 Likes
And maybe more importantly, it’s documented on the website as many likely don’t visit. The bold is their doing, not mine.
“We strongly encourage you to apply early action to receive priority consideration for admission, merit-based scholarships and invitations to special programs.”
2 Likes
This year the RD % could be a lot lower; 558 students have already been accepted under combined EDI and II:
2 Likes
And yet people slam schools because they admit a large percentage of affluent kids, including those with stellar academic accomplishments.
If you’re not admitting full pay students, how are you funding the need based scholarships?
7 Likes
When some people are hyper drawn by specific rankings and acceptance rates, yes, I think Admissions are aware how it can be used to their advantage. And good for them. I’m the biggest LAC cheerleader.
I had never thought of that, but seems to be true. Can’t decide who they are helping or hurting.