Are game theorists immature?

The Harvard admissions office seems to think so.

Well, not exactly, but here is what they say in a recent article about Harvard's decision to end its early admission program:

We recognize that there are risks in eliminating early admission....Yet our hope is that the very best applicants�the ones we seek most assiduously�will appreciate the principled stand we�along with Princeton and the University of Virginia�have taken and will resist the pressure to commit to a college before they are fully ready. Historically such outstanding students have exhibited a level of confidence, maturity, and thoughtfulness that separates them from others who may approach the college admissions process more from a game-theoretic point of view.

I have not figured out the optimal strategy for applying to college in a world where some colleges offer early admission and others (such as Harvard now) do not. But if the optimal strategy puts Harvard at a competitive disadvantage, then we had better rethink our policy. I hope Harvard does not make the mistake of thinking those high school students who act strategically "from a game-theoretic point of view" are somehow lacking in "confidence, maturity, and thoughtfulness."

I don't make many forecasts on this blog, but here is one off-the-cuff. I bet that with Harvard and Princeton out of the picture, applications to Yale's nonbinding single-choice early action program will see a considerable boost next year. The interesting question is whether a significant number of top candidates, once admitted by Yale, will choose to forgo a Harvard application altogether.

If that happens, then Harvard will, from a game-theoretic point of view, have to revise its new admissions policy, regardless of how immature that decision might be.