Delyoshi wrote:
I think what's more interesting is to check whether people applying to MIT are restricting themselves by applying in Round 1. I know for a fact from a current student that round one in 2015 saw a record number of applications when I applied last year. I was a re-applicant this time, I chose to go for Round 1 and I am assuming that I am ding already in India (I did get M7 invites so I think I have a decent enough app overall). If the round one is really the busiest round, then it could very well be that people applying in Round 2 are up for a lot less competition. That being said, its very hard to check this.
No, it's more beneficial to apply R1. Talked to current student too. Sloan adcoms weren't prepared for the flood of R1 applicants, and ended up admitting so many R1 applicants that the R2 crowd was fighting for way fewer seats.