<p>“If you wait, you will be in a, most likely, more competitive group as all the students would have had the advantages you are allowing yourself.”</p>
<p>I see what you’re saying, but also consider that most of the highly competitive applicants would have been accepted already. The RD pool will not have as high of stats as the EA.</p>
<p>Anyway if the OP’s EC’s/Recs are as impressive as she (I’m assuming) believes then it won’t matter how competitive the RD round is because you can’t do much more than she has in those regards. </p>
<p>But I agree with going for the EA as long as a deferral doesn’t deflate her. It could be a tough couple of months.</p>