Hi everyone!
So I’m deciding between Harvard SCEA and MIT EA, and I’d like to hear what you guys think. I’m a good fit for MIT in terms of my extracurriculars/awards (female, heavily STEM-focused), but Harvard is probably my top choice so I’m leaning toward applying there SCEA. However, last year multiple girls from my school were accepted MIT EA, so this year many girls in my grade plan on applying there EA as well. If others at my school are accepted MIT EA and I apply RD, will that affect my chances of being accepted at MIT? In other words, although I know they don’t have a set quota at each school, will my chances decrease for RD if others at my school have already been accepted EA?
Thanks in advance!
I had the same dilemma and can’t give you a decisive answer either way. However, I can say that the acceptances of others who attend your school should not have an effect on your own admissions decision. Ultimately, I would advise you to choose the school you like the most or would feel the most comfortable applying to early.
You can’t control where others in your school apply (or decide not to at the last minute), and you certainly can’t control who any college chooses to admit, so don’t try to plan around that. “You do you.”
If you prefer Harvard, apply there the early round. Your application is more likely to show passion for the school if it’s truly your first choice.
MIT EA is frustrating for many applicants. They don’t guarantee a decision and in fact defer a good number of files. You can do all the work to get things in early without actually getting the satisfaction of an early definite answer.
Harvard biases applicants from Early Action. MIT does not; MIT does not discriminate on the basis of when you apply or how many other students from your school get admitted. If Harvard is your top choice, then apply to Harvard.