Early Decision: Go Big or Go Home? ...Or Go Safe?

Applying to College
1

<p>So I've just gotten back from touring pretty much every college on the East Coast, including the Ivy Leagues, and am officially more confused than a Yalie at Harvard campus (omg, lame college joke alert). I know for a fact that every single Ivy is a bit of a reach for me, although a few (HYP) are definitely more than others, BUT it's always been my dream to make it into an Ivy, so let's just all pretend for a moment that I'm good enough ok.</p>

<p>I'm torn between two schools that I REALLY want to apply EA/ED for at the moment: Yale and Columbia. I love both schools and would go equally insane if I got into either, like tears would be shed, crazy naked dances would be done...okay TMI. Anyway, I also really like Dartmouth, although admittedly not as much as the first two. It doesn't give me the same excitement, but it's definitely the easier of the three to receive admittance. Keep in mind that I'm in NO WAY considering it a 'safety' school (that would be quite insane), but it's got a pretty high acceptance rate at almost 30% for ED. For me, who hasn't started any charities or whatever crap kids are doing to get into college these days, I really think it's my best shot at an Ivy.</p>

<p>So now I have a tough choice to make. Obviously I can't do EA/ED for all three of them - in fact, I'm pretty certain Yale makes sure you can't even do EA for ANY colleges if you decide to apply EA to them. I really, REALLY want to go to an Ivy, and Dartmouth is a great school with a pretty campus...but my heart has always been sent on Yale/Columbia.</p>

<p>If it makes any difference at all, I'm sending in a 34 ACT (that's the first and only time I've taken it), a 3.97 GPA (CURSE YOU AP CALC, CURSE YOU) and an essay I feel extremely confident about (it's hopefully humorous, shows who I am, and, most importantly, will undergo extreme editing once I raid the school's English department and rope all the teachers to revise for me).</p>

<p>So what do you guys think? Yale/Columbia or Dartmouth? Go big or go home...or go safe?</p>

<p>(P.S. if you're a senior facing these same delimmas, I FEEL YOU SISTAH/BRAH. Please feel free to post your own sentiments below and we'll have a nice awkward internet convo about our feelings I HATE COLLEGE APPS AAARGH)</p>

2

<p>1) If you’re attractive enough to be admitted Dartmouth ED, then you’ll also get an offer from them RD.</p>

<p>2) Imagine it’s April 3rd. You’ve gotten admits from Y and C. Where do you send the YES reply to? That’s the one you should apply to early. Ready your app for the other in the meanwhile.</p>

<p>Good luck to you</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the advice! :slight_smile: I’m fairly certain I’d take Yale over Columbia if they accepted me…so at the moment I’m leaning toward Yale. Problem is, if I do EA for Yale, I can’t do EA for any of my safety schools like University of Michigan - and I don’t want to be TOO certain U of M will take me RD. In the past I’ve seen them reject some great apps. Ugh, so much stress :/</p>

4

<p>Hehe I actually did a naked dance when I got accepted to my first choice school EA. Though it had more to do with the fact that I read my acceptance letter while using the bathroom than by choice lmao. Good Luck!</p>

5

<p>You’re mistaken about UMich. You can do both Yale SCEA and UMich EA.</p>

6

<p>What he said ^. SCEA only blocks off other SCEA’s. EA’s are free for everyone</p>

7

<p>^ Not really. Many SCEA of private schools only block you from applying EA/ED of other private schools, while EA to public schools or for financial aid purpose are allowed.</p>

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<p>Yale’s SCEA rules:
[Single-Choice</a> Early Action for Freshman Applicants | Yale College Admissions](<a href=“http://admissions.yale.edu/scea]Single-Choice”>http://admissions.yale.edu/scea)</p>

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9

<p>Oh…really?! Wow, I didn’t know that. Thanks guys! Think I’m going to mull this new info over a bit and see if I’ll take my chances with Yale. :3</p>