I don’t disagree that admissions offices look for whatever tiny edge they can get. It is ridiculous and, like I said, they should close that loophole. Make them count those students in the cohort of the fall semester, even if it becomes an amended CDS later. If they amended it in January it would be counted in the rankings calculations in the summer, and any incentive that comes from rankings manipulations would disappear. I just don’t think that has anything to do with the OP’s situation, and certainly not with his stated concerns.