I think that Pittsburgh is easier to get into. Some others might be Arizona, Arizona State, Clemson.
Not sure what about Colorado makes him want to go there besides the skiing and beauty.
If it’s the skiing, UVermont has early action and is almost as beautiful as Wisconsin (IMHO). Again, not sure if you have to specify early action or just apply by November 1. If you have to specify, it might not be kosher with Tulane, but if it’s just a matter of submitting the application by Nov 1, I don’t see how they can be upset about it.
Thanks @ClassicRockerDad! I just find this all a little confusing. Vermont is tentatively on my son’s list, but doesn’t seem to have rolling admissions. Here’s what Tulane says about their SCEA.
"Designates that Tulane is a student’s first-choice institution at the time of applying and that they are not applying to any other schools early (either through early decision or early action).
Students may still apply to other institutions with:
Rolling admission
Regular Decision admission processes
State school priority deadlines
Early application requirements for merit aid and/or special program consideration at home-state public flagship institutions"
I’m taking that to mean that you may apply at an earlier date, but may not designate your application as early decision or early action. Do you think I’m interpreting that correctly?
Now, when I look at Boulder’s website, it looks as though if your application arrives prior to the early date, even if not designated as EA, that they do accept people and let them know early. So while they aren’t calling it “rolling admissions”, it sounds as though in practice, it operates that way. But I will call before making any decisions about whether that will work.
In so far as Colorado - - I think the appeal is the degree to which it is a safety, the skiing (very very avid skier), and the social atmosphere. He doesn’t like the size though. But he has another safety he likes more that’s a better academic fit so I don’t see him going here unless there was some kind of dramatic change in his record.
I think you are interpreting it correctly, but I think it’s best for HIM to get clarification with his Tulane regional representative. This will also be a chance to introduce himself to that person and let that person know that Tulane is his first choice. He definitely doesn’t want to get this wrong and have his integrity questioned either by Tulane or by his GC.
I really don’t see any difference between early action by virtue of applying early, to applying by a priority deadline, but that’s just me.
Rolling is a little difference in that they notify on a continuing basis. Vermont seems to have specific notification dates. I think Colorado does too, but I’m not really sure.
I just wanted to update all of you kind people who helped advise on this question.
As time went on, my son’s first and second choice schools became more evenly matched in his mind, so he decided to apply ED to what I initially referred to as his “second choice school”. He seems very happy with this decision and recently visited the school again which seemed to confirm the choice. He is applying EA to seven other schools including two safeties. Unfortunately, his third and fourth choice schools did not have EA as an option, so if he gets denied to #1 and #2, it will be a long wait to make a decision.
He did retake the ACT and got the same comprehensive score on that, so no help there although three sections were much better and one was much worse (sadly a bubbling error that he tried to fix but apparently did not completely rectify).
Now, the major application stress has become the essay. I want to pull my hair out. He did a one week essay workshop put on by his school and came out with exactly, well, nothing. Total waste of money. So I hired a college counselor outside to JUST help with essays. She is relatively new to college counseling, but she is a woman I’ve known personally for a long time, and she is very very intelligent. She really helped my son get going. Then, he handed his essays in to his college counselor, and they are recommending major changes to the thrust of the essay. ARGGGH. It’s a private school so I feel like the counseling should be trusted there, but at the same time, my son has been working on this thing for four weeks, and honestly, I’m not sure reworking and reworking is going to yield improved results. I really don’t think he is going to get in anywhere based on his essays regardless of how many times he rewrites it. All I want to do is stay out of the process . . .my older son never asked me a single question about the college application process, but he had an in school counselor I really was impressed with and trusted.
Sorry, just venting here because my stress levels are up.
Thanks again for all the great advice when I needed a sounding board in July.
Application stress - if you think it’s bad now, just wait until Halloween (ED/EA deadline). Talk about a horror show! LOL!
Many of us have been there. It WILL work out! Hang in there. I’m rooting for you.
@amarylandmom, glad your DS has made a decision he feels good about. Hang in there with the essay stress … the professionals (his college counselor at school and his essay coach) will see it through to a good end. You’ll make it and he will end up happy next fall! Good luck!
Thank you so much for those very kind and supportive words @ClassicRockerDad and @GnocchiB . You have no idea how appreciated they are at this juncture! My older son didn’t involve me at all other than college visits. That was so much more relaxing. This one seems to enjoy dragging me into the minutia . . .and it is definitely stressing me out even though I would be totally happy for him to attend any school on his list! He has to get into one of them right lol?
I just want to report back the final result here since it may help someone else in the future. S applied EA to Tulane and ED to Bucknell. He was deferred to RD by Tulane, but accepted to Bucknell and is thrilled to be attending there. A happy ending!!!
He also ended up applying EA to several other schools: 3 I considered safeties and 2 I thought were matches. He was accepted to two safeties and one match prior to hearing from Bucknell. That felt very comforting during this stressful period.
The best part is I feel like over time Bucknell became his first choice in his mind. The physical proximity is a big plus.