<p>I have a question. If you thinking everything in your application is solid, like a 3.9+ GPA and you are confident in your EC's...should you apply early if your SAT score is sucky for Yale? By sucky I mean in the 590-670 range. Or should you wait to apply RD? Are your essays looked at more because the applicant pool is smaller? I would appreciate any input. I can't seem to break into the 700's on some sections and I took the test twice. The ACT might be my friend but I'm am not sure because I am not math/science-y inclined at all.</p>
<p>People generally COMPLETELY misunderstand the difference between EA and RD. It’s really quite simple. With EA, you get notified of an admissions decision around 3 and a half months earlier than you would with RD. The difference ends there. There is ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE that an applicant who would get in RD wouldn’t do the same EA. Similarly, if you’re going to get rejected, you’re going to get rejected regardless of whether you opt for RD over EA. (Obviously, if something earth-shattering happens between November 1 and December 31 that would greatly alter your application, everything I said doesn’t apply.)</p>
<p>As for the test score issue: Whatever happens to you in the admissions process will be the same regardless of when you choose to apply. Unless you think you can get better test scores in time for the RD deadline, I would just choose EA (assuming, of course, that Yale is your top choice). Unfortunately, carefully selecting the point in time in which to apply won’t confer you any advantage.</p>
<p>I completely understand the difference, so no need to berate me. There was a post here where a member said that if you are better at essays you should consider EA since essays are weighed more here. I wanted to find out if there was any truth to that. I know low SAT scores are a disadvantage RD or EA but I wanted to know if due to the lower applicant pool, your essays are read more thoroughly. </p>
<p>Yale is my first choice, but I wanted to get more input. Thanks though.</p>
<p>Hmm. I’ve never really looked at it that way (I just like to assume there’s some kind of constancy within the admissions process). I still don’t think that’s exactly true, just because, although there are less applicants, there’s also less time in which to read all applications. It sort of balances out, but it’s still definitely true that for EA, applications could, in theory, be given more attention. I just don’t see this as true.</p>
<p>Low grades will be a weak point no matter when you apply and 590-670 is definitely in the LOW LOW end for Yale students and typically, students who apply early have finished all their testing. If you aren’t going to take tests in November or December it most likely means you did well enough that you do not need to take it again. If I were you, I would bump up my test scores in Nov and Dec and Jan and then apply to Yale regular. If I couldn’t break at least a 700 on most sections that I would still apply to Yale (shot, anyone has a chance) but I wouldn’t bank on my acceptance.</p>
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<p>It is true that if you are rejected RD, you would have been rejected EA. However, it doesn’t hold that if you are accepted RD, you would have been accepted EA. You might have been accepted EA, but you might also have been deferred (it’s also possible you might have been rejected, but less likely, and probably only due to late additions to your application). </p>
<p>The candidates accepted in the EA round would be selected from ANY applicant pool. Y doesn’t pick borderline applicants EA, they defer them and see how they stack up in the larger RD pool. EA selections give them a few extra months to woo students who will likely get acceptances to other selective colleges in the RD round.</p>
<p>IMO, you should just apply RD and sign up for the soonest ACT. I’m not math/science-oriented at all, and I got a 34 on the ACT as opposed to a 2220 on the SAT. I’m just submitting my ACT (I bombed a subject test), and Yale will never know the difference. 
When you take the ACT, you don’t have to submit the SAT at all.</p>
<p>If an EA application is read the same way as a RD application, then why is there such a disparity in acceptance rates for EA and ED?</p>
<p>A large number of recruited athletes are admitted during the EA round. And in general, the EA applicant pool is considered stronger than the RD pool.</p>
<p>rockermcr needs to take a chill pill.</p>
<p>To confirm the other good responses, retake the SAT and take the ACT (to see if you are better @ that), and then apply RD. Your scores really ought to be improved before you will have a good shot at admission. Even if they don’t improve, still apply RD anyway… just go into it well aware that it is very very tough to get in w/ those scores.</p>
<p>Just to reiterate further, the best solution is to get your test scores up. If that means that you can’t do it in time for Early Action, then that’s fine. Early Action isn’t binding and doesn’t provide a huge advantage.</p>
<p>Sorry to reiterate even further, but I’d say the test scores is your best bet. I have a question as well.</p>
<p>Is it bad if you got SAT around the 2000 range and 34 on the ACT and you sent all your scores to Yale? Will they look automatically at the ACT then, or will the SAT scores bring you down more than if you just only sent your ACT scores?</p>