Chances at Yale SCEA-worth it?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I am a white male who will be entering senior year this fall.</p>

<p>Academics: GPA (weighted):4.88
(unweighted): 3.99
rank:4 / 340
-Competitive Public School in NJ</p>

<h2>-Senior Classes: AP Lit, AP Physics, AP Calculus BC, AP Spanish 5, Music (Band) Honors</h2>

<p>SAT :
math:780
reading:790
writing:730
SAT math2: 800;
SAT chem:790; </p>

<h2>SAT physics:770</h2>

<p>Awards:
National merit semifinalist
A Frederick Douglass/ Susan B. Anthony (History) award from my school</p>

<h2>N.H.S.</h2>

<h2>Sports: Cross Country: possible Varsity</h2>

<p>EC:
Vice Pres. of the Student Council -9,10,11,12
Member of the School Senate-9,10,11,12
Assistant Stage Manager of the school play</p>

<p>Jazz Band
Tri-M Music Honors Society</p>

<p>math & science clubs</p>

<h2>involved in the environmental club </h2>

<p>*Previous years' Work:
Worked 2 Summers at town camp for a month(3 hrs a day) and
2 summers at an art camp for a week (6hrs a day)</p>

<p>*This summer:
-JSA symposium in Princeton for three days (it's a camp for those interested in politics)-hope to start a branch of this organization during the beginning of this year.</p>

<h2>-Helping out with a local campaign</h2>

<p>Essays: Not sure, maybe about my passion for politics which would allow me to tie together some of my EC's and summer stuff so it doesn't seem so random....maybe one about my individuality and dual passion for math/science and politics/history</p>

<p>---->**<strong><em>What are my Chances at Yale SCEA? Realistically, is it worth not applying to UPENN ED (which I like a lot but not as much as Yale) and instead use up my SCEA chances on Yale ? *</em></strong>*<-----(main question)</p>

<p>Percentages, numbers, or high/low descriptions of my chances at each school would be extremely helpful. For a school like Yale that focusses so much on the humanities, should I focuss my app and interests more on the mathematic side of my passions? Where exactly would I write this essay that ties together my EC's? Common app or the supplement?</p>

2

<p>I’ve talked with an admissions officer from Yale (on the phone) and he said that they show no preference to early action candidates. They said that it should only be used if students want to finish the admissions process quickly.
Chance wise, I guess your well-rounded. No one knows, really.</p>

3

<p>If you apply to all HYPSMC, I would bet that you would get one hit. I think that for you, it would be a better choice to do UPenn ED. I can easily see Yale deferring you, which would make SCEA a waste of time…</p>

4

<p>^ What’s with your location?</p>

5

<p>Also, what race are you. At this level, this is the most important variable.</p>

6

<p>

</p>

<p>He’s white.</p>

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<p>Wow my brother changed my location to MIT lol… Need to change password to my computer. BRB.</p>

8

<p>ok thanks, so does everyone think I should just apply upenn ED or I should apply HYPSM and upenn regular dec, so I may have a shot at one or two?</p>

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<p>UPenn ED
They take half their class from the ED applicants</p>

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<p>The question is…would you rather go to either HYPSM or UPenn?All are excellent schools but which would you personally rather go to? </p>

<p>If I were you, I would apply to HYPSM and also UPenn regular.</p>

11

<p>circular, I would rather go to HYPSM but I’m afraid if I don’t apply ED to upenn I won’t get in anywhere…</p>

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<p>^ Its better to get rejected by all those schools than sign the next four years of your life (and $200,000 of your parents’ money) to a school you don’t absolutely love without comparing your options.</p>

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<p>well technically the average student receives over $30,000 in fin aid a year… so its only $80,000-90000, a reasonable market price for a college education.</p>

14

<p>Your stats certainly look marvelous, but my impression still is that it is better to not apply to Yale SCEA. Out of the really stellar candidates from my son’s year and the year previously, every single student from our high school who applied SCEA was deferred, and then all but one were rejected in the regular round. In the first round they seem to have chosen truly quirky or unusual students and passed over the academic stars, thinking that they would have more to choose from on the second round. I could be completely wrong, and maybe my son was just not all that interesting to them, but you should have seen the massacre on college confidential of high scorers with high GPAs who got deferred SCEA last year.
I’d apply to all of your colleges in the regular round, unless there is some non-binding early decision program that interests you (University of Chicago?).</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

15

<p>The odds of ED and SCEA acceptance versus RD, and the best strategy for how to best use the one opportunity for ED/SCEA are impossible to work out. So I think that the simplest solution (without second guessing what would work or not) is to decide on which college is your top choice, and apply there ED/SCEA. For you it appears to be Yale. Your stats are very strong. With the understanding that Yale is a reach for anyone I suggest you apply there SCEA.</p>

16

<p>If your school is truly very competitive, it’s likely to have relationships with certain colleges. Is Yale one of them? Do many kids from your school end up at Yale? Does Yale have a fondness for SCEA applicants from your school? </p>

<p>I’ve found that a lot of SCEA advice is helpful for those from mediocre/decent publics, but for those from top preps, your best resources are your GC, who has a feel for where your “type” of student ends up, and Naviance/your knowledge of other kids from your school who have been accepted in the past.</p>

17

<p>thanks everyone…yeah I see, we are a competitive NJ public school (not extremely tho) and get about 1.5 kids into yale a year on average. Yale is def my number one, but I don’t think I’ll apply single choice early action, because it does not seem to benefit people in my position. Now I think I’ll apply to two or three target/ reach schools early action just so I can have some feedback by mid (or is it early?) december and thus eliminate most or all of my safeties if I get in. I really want to apply to HYPSM cause I think I may have a shot at one, but I’m still unsure whether I want to apply to Upenn ED (with which our school has a very good relationship and which would give me a huge boost )…my final question is what would you guys do in my position now… </p>

<p>take a risk at not being accepted any of the Ivy Leagues but have the very slight chance of going to your favorite school OR settle for a more conservative route and apply to upenn (which I still do like alot) ED?</p>