Round 1 Vs Round 2

There are mixed opinions when it comes to Round 1 vs Round 2. From my experience, if you belong to the over represented demographic then it is best to apply in Round 1. Do not wait until Round 2. This also depends on class diversity to some extent. If you are an Indian engineer, then definitely apply in Round 1. If you are Indian with a different background such as finance then you might stand a fair chance in round 2 as well. However I tend to think this also depends on schools.

Harvard

From many of my friends I hear that R2 is more competitive at Harvard than R1. Secondly in R1, they don't have a class yet. So you stand a good chance with all 900 seats open! I also tend to think that Harvard uses the waitlist in a different manner. I am not sure whether they evaluate Harvard R1 waitlist with R2. In most cases they seem to look at the waitlist only when the yield is low. My advice is to apply in R1

Wharton

Wharton seems a little more fair when it comes to R1 vs R2. I would still not recommend Indian engineers to apply in R2. Wharton does evaluate R1 waitlist with R2. Incase you are a strong candidate when compared to the R2 pool then you would get an admit.

Columbia

Columbia has a rolling admission process. It is best to apply as early as possible. If you belong to the over represented demographic then you should apply by first week of December. The chances of an admit are very slim if you apply in January. You would most likely end up with a DWI. Infact many Indian engineers who apply in ED are placed on a waitlist and evaluated with the RD applicants. Hence do not get discouraged if you are on a waitlist.

Stanford

Stanford has a very small class size. Hence it is definitely best for any demographic to apply in R1. I would recommend this for any school that has a small class size. It is very competitive to get into these schools.