<p>Is it because better people apply or is it because MIT is flattered that people are considering it their first choice?</p>
<p>Mostly because the applicant pool is self-selecting. Demonstrated interest is also a factor, but it’s mostly because of the people.</p>
<p>What do you mean by “self-selecting”?</p>
<p>like mostly really good people apply EA</p>
<p>Also, you get your app looked at twice if you’re deferred? Maybe?</p>
<p>Early applicant pools for most schools tend to be stronger than regular applicant pools, and it is likely that MIT is no exception. </p>
<p>A former poster on CC, Byerly, strongly believed that MIT and other schools accept a larger portion of EA applicants because of yield management – students who apply EA are substantially more likely to enroll at a school, so to maximize yield, it’s best to take more EA applicants.</p>
<p>I don’t think Byerly’s rationale is a major factor in the differential admit rates, but it’s possible that it plays a role. The primary factor, however, is almost certainly the strength of the EA pool compared to the RD pool.</p>
<p>That makes sense. Also EA applicants show a desire to go, but also have the strongest applications of all the EA/RD combined. 3000 people apply EA, 300 get accepted, and I think most get deffered. I think Mollie knows more about this.</p>
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<p>That’s not even necessarily true. MIT has multiple-choice EA, you could apply EA for several different schools. And MIT knows this.</p>
<p>Here are the real statistics:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/admissions_statistics/index.shtml[/url]”>http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/admissions_statistics/index.shtml</a></p>
<p>Right, applying EA does not indicate that it is an applicant’s first choice. You may apply to a number of schools EA and RD simultaneously. But for any Early program, you need to understand each school’s restrictions. EA means that you are not committed to enroll in the school nor do you have to revoke all other applications, as ED does. But by all means, if MIT truly is your first choice, mention it in your application; it can’t hurt. </p>
<p>Last year, the admission rate at MIT during the EA period was about 11%. The admission rate during RD was about 10%. 75% of EA applicants were deferred to RD last year. Of all the EA applicants, 19% were ultimately admitted through EA or RD.</p>
<p>There is no specific reason, other than EA applicants probably investigated MIT more, knew more about whether it was a “match”, worked longer on their application, etc. and were not among the people who threw MIT in as yet another application before January 1. Being deferred from EA also provides an opportunity to add to your application. It might be interesting to know what the acceptance rate was of deferred applicants who added to their application versus those who did not.</p>
<p>The other interesting statistic is those who interviewed versus those who did not. Admission rate is something like 3 times higher for those who interview.</p>
<p>Anyway, it still comes down to the individual. None of this means a particular qualified applicant will get in. So, have some good back up plans. 
You will hear this a lot: hope for the best, prepare for the worst.</p>
<p>I like having two chances (EA and then regular if deferred).
Plus, yeah, it shows that I really want to get in (initiative factor).</p>
<p>Basically, everyone’s got the logic down, it seems.</p>
<p>Nice advise WS17. Thanks everyone also.</p>
<p>i thought EA admit rate was actually lower than RD…and if its the other way around isn’t the difference in acceptance rate very small?</p>
<p>Well, “EA admit rate” can mean two things. It can mean the rate at which EA applicants are accepted during the EA round or the rate at which EA applicants are accepted overall – that is, the rate at which applicants are accepted EA plus the rate at which deferred EA applicants are accepted RD.</p>
<p>Last year, 390 EA applicants were accepted EA (11.2%). 289 more EA applicants were accepted during the RD round, for a total acceptance rate of 19.5% – 679 students out of 3483 applicants. </p>
<p>The overall RD admit rate last year was 10% (1163/11590). When you take the deferred EA applicants out of consideration, the admit rate for RD-only applicants was 9.8% (874/8952).</p>
<p>It might be worth noting also that the international student cap makes it look tougher to get in RD than it may actually be – MIT accepts only about 100 international students each year, and they are required to apply RD. The pure RD acceptance rate for US citizens (RD only, no EA deferred students) last year was 12.1% (755/6207).</p>
<p>oh ok thanks for clearing that up mollie</p>
<p>Thanks for the numbers, Mollie, very clearly put.</p>