Am I making a reckless decision here?

Applying to College
1

<p>I've been leaning towards ED at a certain school, but all within the last two days I've had a major change of heart and am now strongly considering ED at a different school.</p>

<p>I'm worried, though, that I'm being reckless with this. School A had been a favorite since I visited, and it was sort of unquestioned that it was my top choice.
But I've been reading and talking to more students, and I've been getting cold feet, thinking that maybe this isn't truly what I want in a school. My impression compared to the day that I visited is now almost negative...</p>

<p>Meanwhile, I've been researching school B more and more, and I've found that the main reason why I had never place it at top was actually a misconception I had, that is now all cleared up. I read more about it and I like it even more.
However, when we visited, i wasn't particularly interested in the school at the time, and I don't think I got as much out of it as I could have.</p>

<p>At this point, my heart is telling me school B is where I belong.</p>

<p>But can I really trust this? These decisions have all happened in a short time frame, and even though I feel its the right choice, and though I'm researching it a great amount, I'm worried I'm not deliberating on this school as long as I should. </p>

<p>My parents think that I will need to visit again before I can make a good call (though there's not much time for that as apps are due Nov 1st) in order to see school in session (since my biggest concern with the school was social life, although I am feeling very good about that now). I can certainly just apply RD at both, but I do feel strongly in favor of B.</p>

<p>To top that off, I had already submitted my pre-application for B before this all happened, saying that I would apply RD. If I want to switch to ED I need to call the admissions office ASAP.</p>

<p>I don't want to make a decision I regret. Writing this now, its hard for me to believe that I wouldn't be ecstatic about getting in to B and going there.</p>

<p>But maybe I need to take a step back from it all and breath?</p>

<p>Advice is greatly appreciated</p>

2

<p>Apply to both schools RD. You don’t have to make this decision now. What you want in a college in the beginning of your HS senior year may not be what you want in a college at the end of your HS senior year. Stick with applying to a variety of colleges RD–this will give you more options when your final decision officially needs to be made in the spring.
In the meantime, try to go on a couple of college visits and tours.</p>

3

<p>exactly, just go RD! ED is for people who are 100% certain, and to me it doesn’t seem like you fit that category ONE BIT. I do’t think you’ll be disadvantaged with RD</p>

4

<p>Like others said, if you’re not 100% certain you want to go to B, apply RD. However, you can finish both applications as if you’re applying ED, then visit a week ahead and take the remaining 6 days to judge your 2nd impression (assuming you have the time). </p>

<p>If this helps at all, I visited colleges and dead-set on Duke. However, the tour was hot, humid, and unpleasant and I didn’t see many students. When I toured Princeton, I was blown away by the vivacity of the students I saw there, and the gorgeous trees and cooler weather.
That was my first impression.
When I came back, all ready to make Princeton my #1 choice, I dove into research and Princeton’s grade-deflation policy really made me reconsider, since I’ll be going into premed. Also, Princeton doesn’t look at 9th grade grades. So I researched Duke more and found all sorts of neat things, and that my 1st impression during summer was totally wrong. Now I’m applying there ED. </p>

<p>Basically researching a college can change your impressions of a college, especially if you toured during the summer. But I’m 100% sure Duke is right for me. If you have the slightest doubt that college A can still make you happy and is better than college B, don’t apply ED to college B.</p>

5

<p>My S1 did exactly what you’re doing. He was all set to apply to College A for ED. Then, two weeks before the deadline, he visited College B and fell in love. Debated back and forth --A or B? He wound up applying to College B ED. Got flat out rejected. Luckily, he was able to quickly apply to Collge A for EDII and was accepted. </p>

<p>The only downside – besides being rejected – was that he had also submitted apps to about 10 other colleges, since the notification date for EDII was well beyond the other schools’ deadlines. Once he was accepted to College A, he had to withdraw all the other apps – but, of course, no app fees were reimbursed! So it cost us around $500 extra.</p>

<p>In my son’s case, it was a matter of cold feet. When he saw College B, he thought maybe there was something better out there than College A. Turns out his first instinct was right all along.</p>

6

<p>Definitely just apply RD to both. You don’t sound all that sure about either one.</p>

7

<p>Why ED any school. It sounds like your thinking is still evolving. Keep visiting and looking. The only issue would be if you are borderline for these schools and they are schools where applying ED helps. Then maybe you want to bite the bullet and choose one.</p>

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<p>What are the 2 schools?</p>

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<p>^ It doesn’t matter what the two schools are. It’s better that the OP didn’t tell us the schools, so he can get real advice instead of just our biased opinions based on which school we think is “better.”</p>

<p>I agree with the other posters on this thread that you should just apply regular decision. The worst thing would be to apply ED and then regret that choice later. This way, you can see which schools you get into and make the choice a little later in the year. The thing you hear again and again is that you won’t believe how much you change during senior year. Your first choice school might change. Maybe you’ll decide you like College C a whole lot too. Apply RD, see where you get in, and then do overnights at your top picks. That way you will know that you’re not making a reckless decision.</p>

10

<p>If your not sure - do not apply ED. EA might be OK depending on the restrictions. You might want to look at USNews - Colleges Where Applying Early Decision Helps.</p>

<p>[Colleges</a> Where Applying Early Decision Helps - US News and World Report](<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/2009/09/30/colleges-where-applying-early-decision-helps.html]Colleges”>http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/2009/09/30/colleges-where-applying-early-decision-helps.html)</p>

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<p>Interesting link. I had never seen those statistics laid out so clearly.</p>

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<p>I agree 100%. My son’s ‘list’ changes daily. The GCs at his school strongly recommend against ED unless this is the ONE school you have wanted to go to all your life (okay - a little exaggeration).</p>

<p>At your age, there is a lot of growth that occurs in a short period of time. Thoughts change, needs change…what’s important to you today may not be important tomorrow. Keep your options open.</p>

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<p>The US News list is totally misleading as it gives no context. They would have to back out all of the hooked candidates–and that’s a lot in the ED round–to have a meaningful take.</p>

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<p>It matters very much what the schools are if he’s looking for a strategy. It wouldn’t matter which we consider best, but it would matter in terms of helping the OP understand where ED would give him a boost and where it wouldn’t.</p>

14

<p>Thanks for the advice. I’ve pretty much decided to go with RD both…I think my mom was right in that my preference is way too volatile right now…April is a long way away, and I’ve never really had a clear vision of what I want in a school (which is why my list still has about 18 on it).</p>

<p>The schools are Williams and Dartmouth, respectively. No, they aren’t the kind of school where you’re going to get a boost from ED, but I think that I just wanted to get into one of these schools so badly, because I think I would be so happy at either, that I was ready to grasp at any potential for a higher chance of getting in, no matter how small it is. Another part of it may have been my wanting to just get in and get this process over with…its been a very stressful past few months for me, and its really taking its toll on me…but I shouldn’t give in to laziness, right? :)</p>

<p>But no, I don’t think I’m ready to make this decision, since I am, and always have been, incredibly indecisive.</p>

15

<p>As an interesting story for you, both my kids chose to attend schools that, in the fall of their senior year, they did not even want to apply to. Son attended and very happily graduated from Tufts. He was accepted to his first choice school UPenn but then turned it down in the spring. D is a freshman at Harvard. After two visits, she did not like the school but added it on as her tenth application at the last minute. Her turning point in her feelings for Harvard was at her alumni interview in January of her senior year.</p>

<p>My point is, that as a high school senior, spring is a long way away. Your feelings may change significantly by then.</p>

<p>Since you are torn, do RD and you may be surprised by what appeals to you in April.</p>

16

<p>I never thought I’d say this, but I wish Dartmouth had a supplemental essay! I wish I could show them in some way besides ED how much I’d like to go there…</p>

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<p>If you think there is something that is not requested that you feel will add to your application, you can still send it in. You must be secure in the fact that it is is adding quality to your application and not just bulk before you do so. I don’t which it was, but my son added an unsolicited essay to one of the schools to which he applied. I know that it was one that accepted him so I know that it did not hurt him. With this in mind, if you really have something to say to Dartmouth, go for it but make sure that it is a quality piece.</p>

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<p>Thats an interesting idea…although I’m not sure I could do anything so persuasive as to get me in :/</p>