Could someone please offer me advice? I will chance back if you ask.

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>I'm debating whether I should apply Early Decision to Lafayette College. It is my top choice and they are supposedly quite generous in their aid --- important for me, since I will definitely apply for financial aid. </p>

<p>The other schools I'm applying to are: Case Western, Depauw, Hendrix, Illinois Wesleyan, Rhodes College, and St. Olaf College.</p>

<p>Needless to say, I have very sketchy stats, due mainly to main laughably low GPA with a relatively weak strength of schedule. Because of this, I thought applying to Lafayette ED would significantly increase my chances (their regular decision acceptance rate is 34%, while their ED acceptance rate is 67% --- even though, as Lafayette's website lists, the average test scores for their early decision applicant pool were almost the exact same as regular decision applicant pool. This hints that both pools were of similar strength).</p>

<p>As I said, Lafayette is my first choice. If I were accepted by every school on my list, I would definitely choose Lafayette. </p>

<p>All of that said, I'm still not sure whether I should go with early decision...</p>

<p>And so this leads to my main two questions: What do you guys think is my (percent) chance at Lafayette if I apply regular decision? Early decision?</p>

<p>Thanks for the input.</p>

<hr>

<p>Male from Arkansas
SAT (taken twice): 2030 (650R, 700M, 680W)
Unweighted GPA: 3.15
Weighted GPA: 3.25
Class Size: 600 (public school)
Class rank: top 17-20%</p>

<p>Honors Math courses 8th through 12th grade, 3 AP's: AP Statistics (4), AP Physics (2), and AP Computer Science (1).</p>

<p>My grade trend is essentially 3.40 freshman year, 2.80 sophomore year, 3.60 junior year, and 3.50 senior year.</p>

<p>EC's: High school baseball, special needs brother, a little volunteering (and by a 'little' I mean only several hours one day), member of three clubs.</p>

<p>Rec's: Even though I got a 2 on the Physics exam, my Physics teacher is writing my rec. Although I obviously cannot know for sure, I think he will say only positive things and even spin the fact that my 2 on the exam was his fault --- it hardly was. So, point being, my rec should be strong.</p>

<p>Essay: Assume it is at least averagely good, and likely very good, relative to the applicant pool of Lafayette.</p>

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<p>What I would say right now is if Lafayette is really the school that you want to go to, then apply ED. That's what it's for. Your test scores sit in the top 50% range there, and you are still in the top 20% at your H.S. According to CollegeBoard, there are still a nu,ber of students there who had your GPA (13%) And if your essay is good, then that will help your chances a lot. You have a good chance at getting in ED, considering their high acceptance rate, give it a shot.</p>

<p>Chance me please! <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/621725-took-risk-blew-any-hope-left.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/621725-took-risk-blew-any-hope-left.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>Don't my test scores sit in the top 75-80% though?</p>

<p>And most of the people, I am guessing, who had my GPA or lower probably came from private schools with a much more difficult curriculum than my public school in Arkansas, lol.</p>

<p>And thanks. I'm chancing you back now.</p>

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<p>I'll would suggest you don't apply ED if financial aid is critical. Apply to all schools and weigh your offers. Most schools on your list aare known for decent FA, don't box yourself in.</p>

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<p>Ah, but Lafayette, according to Princeton's book, is the most generous school on my list for financial aid.</p>

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<p>okay SAT and GPA... not as bad as u said. good that ur in honors and AP but can u explain the grade drop in ur sophmore year</p>

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<p>My sophomore year was sort of like a lot of people's freshman year. I really can't explain it. I was immature and had no motivation to try in school. I've given minimal effort my entire high school career; I guess you could say I gave no effort my sophomore year.</p>

<p>Do you guys think my colleges will look at my transcript and notice that my sophomore year was far and away my worst, and treat it like my freshman year? I think it's kind of unfair to arbitrarily consider freshman year everyone's 'mulligan' year.</p>

<p>...But I think I disagree with you that my grades aren't as bad as I'm making them out to be; they kind of are. As I said in my last post, most of the people with GPAs worse than mine come from private schools with much more difficult classes than my public school in Arkansas. I would probably put myself in the bottom 10% of the applicant pool in terms of academic success in high school.</p>

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<p>bumppppppp</p>

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<p>...........................</p>

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<p>yes they would look at ur sophmore year but not in detail so ur good... ur junior n senior years are the most important</p>

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<p>by the way srri i took so long i was stuck editing essays and this stupid thing won't let me post....great</p>

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<p>apply early decision if you really want to go to layfayette, since you’ll have a much better chance of getting in. You should still get acceptable financial. I don’t really know your situation financially, but i think you could make it work with layfaette and ed. The other schools should be regular deadline. i think most of them are in similar price ranges, and you’ll get better financial aid. with your stats this all seems to work out. i’d say ed for layf. is 75%, and regular is about 40%, while for the others you have about 80% apiece, and you’ll get good financial aid. </p>

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