Early Action or Early Decision? PLEASE HELP :(

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm a Chinese from a school ranked 3-5th in China, and I'm thinking between doing Yale University's Early Action plus UMich's Early Action or singularly doing Northwestern's Early Decision. I'm one of the top musicians here and has okay good grades.</p>

<p>I know Yale's probably a reach for everyone, but it'd been my dream school, so I might as well take a bet on it; however, I love Northwestern equally and its dual degree in the liberal arts college and music school sounds appealing. I feel like I have a fairly high chance to get it, at least via its music school. For UMich, it's the dual degree program too, but frankly I don't have a huge interest in it..but it's EA so it doesn't matter too much.</p>

<p>Should I take a bet for Yale, or stick with Northwestern and possibly get done with college app early (who doesn't want to) ?</p>

<p>Here are some of my stats:</p>

<p>SAT approx 2250 (retaking in Oct)
SAT II: Chinese 790, Maths2 750, Chem 720, French 600 (should I send it?)</p>

<p>School doing another system, so 3 self studied APs: 5(Music Theory), 4(Calculus AB), 3(Macroeconomics..lol)
No GPA in school, but top at least 15%</p>

<p>ECA:
1. MUN chair
2. Zonta Z International school club VP
3. School music club President
4. School debating club committee member
5. School Chinese History club VP
6. Music: Various international awards recipient, studying in a professional music skl in Hong Kong, record holder, knows many instruments
7. School magazine editor
8. Local newspapers and magazines contributing writer
9. Co-founder of a now-famous local online orchestra
10. Interned at an investment company
11. Many voluntary works</p>

<p>I think essays and recommendations will be fine.</p>

<p>Potential studies and career paths:
1. Media and communication
2. Business
3. International Relations
4. Minor in music/dual degree</p>

<p>Regular decision choices:
NYU Stern, Barnard, Cornell, Columbia, Wellesley, Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, UPenn Wharton, Brown</p>

<p>Please advice :(
Thank you guys.</p>

2

<p>I don’t know your chance. I am unfamiliar with communist high school programs and how they compare to U.S. What do you learn about citizenship and democracy, freedom of speech, right to a trial by jury?
What does your guidance counselor say? Have others from your school been admitted to Yale or your other choices?
If your school is already known by your choice universities, that will go along way. </p>

3

<p>My school’s not that different from much American schools apart from the exams taken and the system of teaching. Please don’t assume we’re less educated by any scale…
No, my school has only one student that got into Harvard. She and I are the only 2 who’s going to the States and the school’s ignoring my need right now, so I’m on my own. However, I have an American guy who were admission officers from Reeds and Oberlin before, to help me with my apps.</p>

4

<p>For Music major, you are likely required to come for audition. If you have not scheduled for one yet, it may be too late for ED/EA. You should contact these schools as soon as possible. I know international students flying in for audition even over the Summer for UMich. You do want to apply early wherever possible for music major particularly if you are interested in getting merit aid. However, often time the admission notice may come out later than other EA/ED as spots for certain instrument may be very limited and they want to wait for the best candidate unless you are really superior. My neighbor’s son received the admission notice on April 30 from UMich music school. With either Yale or Northwestern in EA/ED, do apply UMich EA too. Your SAT score is within the range but not really outstanding (i.e. within the mid 50) for these schools. However, music performance major would put less weight in scores. There is even an international student accepted in UMich music school with ACT at 25 this year. A second major can be added after admission.
It is hard to chance music major as it is mainly depending on your audition performance.</p>

5

<p>@alafae, I don’t mean any disrespect. Your university choices are besieged by many applicants and admission often goes to those whose high schools are already known to admissions officers.
Audition is an important component for music major and sounds like your special talent, so definitely inquire about audition. </p>

6

<p>Thanks guys, I did inquire about the auditions and no worries, the audition and application deadlines for the music schools aren’t over yet. However, UMich does not offer a music audition for EA, therefore I’ll just be providing them with art supplements and hopefully use it as an advantage to get into the actual school.</p>

<p>To reply @Hippobirdy‌, my school is relatively well known to the States despite the little applicants. This is not a factor I would worry about.</p>

<p>I’m pretty confident in my music audition to be able to get in Northwestern or UMich, but thanks @billcsho‌ for all that information!!</p>

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<p>As far as I remember, UMich would schedule audition through March. Applying EA for music school probably means less than other major at UMich but it makes you eligible to more scholarships.</p>

8

<p>@billcsho‌ music is not my concern, and given that I have sufficient finance, scholarships aren’t that important too.
I’m just wondering if I should do Yale EA+UMich EA or Northwestern ED :(</p>

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<p>First of all, I would ask if financial need is a factor taken into consideration for ED/EA for international students for the school that you are considering. I believe Yale is need blind in both admissions and fin aid for international students but the others are not either or both, and how that effects ED, I don’t know It would be foolish to apply ED to NW and find out that you are not eligible to get your aid package estimates till the end of the season, for example, because of the way it works for international students. Some schools have some such situations. EA is not such an issue because you can wait till you have packages to compare at the end of the season, but ED…that can be a problem for those in a special category, and as an international student, some of the general rules of thumb do not necessarily hold.</p>

10

<p>I appreciate your concern over my music eligibility and financial aid, but I’m not applying to any sort of financial aid, so this is really not a consideration to me:)</p>

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<p>If financial aid is not a concern, it probably does not make much difference between EA and RD for music school.</p>

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<p>@billcsho‌ I’m not concerned with the music schools at all, I’m just adding this in because my point is that this is the way I can get in relatively easier than the normal applications. My concern here is which way to go really. Yale+UMich or just Northwestern.</p>

13

<p>If you are not absolutely sure you want to go to Northwestern, do not apply ED. In any case, you can always apply to UMich EA (with Yale or NU). It is hard to give suggestion between Yale and NU. They are very different in many aspects. Yale is in general more competitive than NU, but NU is not too far behind. </p>

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<p>@billcsho‌ The problem is I like Yale as much as Northwestern, I just fear I’d be dumping my early option away and the possibility of getting done with university application if I do apply to Yale, because I don’t think my stats are enough? Of course I’d be willing to go if I apply to Northwestern ED.</p>

15

<p>My D had this dilemma last year and she ended up applied to NU by RD. NU is a great school but she was not so sure if she wants to go there. Applying RD allowed her a lot more time to think it over. At the end she was accepted to NU but decided to go to UMich.</p>

16

<p>That’s immensely helpful given your D’s experience in it. I’m just worried if I would get into NU by RD because it’s more competitive in the main round and I’m scared I’d loss this opportunity to a school I really like. Thank you!</p>

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<p>As I said, music major is a different kind of game. Your talent would trump everything else.</p>

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<p>Just wanna let you guys know that I’ve been accepted to Northwestern already! Thanks again for your input.</p>