<p>I am a senior in HS and I live in VA. I was going to do early decision for William & Mary which I was told at the information session gave me about an 75% more chance to get in than doing regular decision but now I'm starting to feel a little bit more conflicted about this decision.</p>
<p>The reasons I wanted to do early decision for W&M was b/c my SAT score is a 2120 (1450 reading/math) is at the top of W&M's score range but not as high as the other Asians in the country and I was worried that if I didn't try early decision, I might not make it into a 'good college' at all. I do like the campus and the people there, but at the same time I want to try my luck with other good schools like Berkeley and UCLA so I can be closer to my family and such when they move over.</p>
<p>I don't know if I should take the risk and do normal app with W&M and do early action for the rest of the schools that I want to apply or just stick with early decision for W&M esp. when Cali has a huge Asian population. I feel like this is a really dumb question but I just feel really stressed out about it. Right now I'm leaning towards doing early action for other schools instead of early decision for W&M. </p>
<p>I’d do early action for other schools instead. You shouldn’t do ED unless you are absolutely sure you want to go to a school and its your top choice. You seem to want to go to other schools too, so I don’t think ED is a good option for you.</p>
<p>Agree with guineagirl96; don’t apply ED to a school that you are sure you want to attend and that you can afford. Also note that Berkeley and UCLA do not have EA.</p>
I seriously doubt that UCLA and W&M would appeal equally to a student. They are incredibly different places. I suggest doing more research about what you think you want in a college. </p>
<p>William & Mary is a bargain for in-state students and offers the personalized education of much more expensive private colleges. What’s not to like? There’s much to be said for being done in December, including a small fortune saved on application fees. </p>
<p>I agree that ED is not the best choice for someone who doesn’t have a clear first pick…but think pretty carefully before rejecting a bird in the hand for possible birds in the bushes. (I certainly wouldn’t choose any of the UCs OOS over in-state W&M and UVA.)</p>
<p>@warblersrule To be really honest, the only reason I’m considering applying to a UC school (other than them being pretty good) is because my entire family is planning on moving there when I go to college. I’ve been to the Berkeley campus which I actually really liked but I’ve never been to UCLA, so Berkeley is really where I would prefer to go if deciding between the two UC schools. (And really I don’t have really specific preferences other than being near a fabric/craft store aha)</p>
<p>And the in-state tuition is really the reason why W&M been my top choice w/out really considering other schools (in fact a main reason we moved to Virginia was b/c of UVA and W&M), my parents have told me that they’re willing to give me the extra money if I go instate but have also been pushing for Berkeley b/c they are moving to San Fran when I go to college. </p>
<p>I have no idea what I’m doing with my life which is quite ironic since my parents have stressed college since basically my birth. Originally wanted to be a fashion designer and knew what schools I wanted to go to for sure until I realized there was more of a chance of me dying on the streets than becoming a name brand.</p>
<p>If you and your parents move to California, you do not get residency for tuition purposes immediately. Read the rules very carefully. Also, read the Virginia rules very carefully to check whether your parents moving out of Virginia will affect your residency for tuition purposes.</p>
<p>Out of state tuition for the UCs is essentially the same as for private colleges. If money is not an issue for you then look at private colleges.</p>
<p>@fogcity As much as I’d like to go to a private college, I don’t think my scores are good enough to get me in. Thank you for the information though! </p>
<p>A few things that may help with your decision</p>
<p>1) Do you like William and Mary, and would you feel comfortable and willing to go there if accepted? If you are applying just for the extra boost in admissions, it is not worth it. But if you are applying because you really want to attend to the school, then go ahead and apply early decision. On a side note, while it could make a minor difference, I doubt your ethnicity will make a huge difference in whether you are accepted or rejected. I was accepted with the same demographic 1490, barely any difference, and from out of state too. Being in-state is a huge advantage.</p>
<p>2) That said, which state of residency will you be qualified for after graduation? You mentioned that your parents will be moving to California. Will you be considered instate for either of those schools? That could definitely play a huge factor in the decision as admittance rates and tuition are different for instate and out of state students.</p>
<p>3) UCLA and WIlliam and Mary are very different and you should do your research on each, however I disagree that a student happy at one would not be happy at the other. One of my best friends was one of the biggest W&M fans and we would have “dream school” conversations where it would come back to W&M as both of our top choices. Unfortunately, he didn’t get in. Now he is happily (if facebook statuses are anything to judge by) attending UCLA.</p>
<p>4) Private schools aren’t necessarily more competitive than public ones. Private just means it is not state supported so you will not receive benefits of instate tuition, but certain ones offer pretty generous financial aid packages and can offer you merit scholarships to offset the cost. Perhaps look into a few of those.</p>
<p>5) Lastly, as a first year at William and Mary so far, I have to say I absolutely love the school. There is so much to do and the people are friendly. If you have any questions about it, don’t be afraid to reach out. If I remember correctly, there is a day in the fall (Fall Blast, I believe it was called) where you can stay overnight and I might be one of the hosts, woo. Good luck with colleges and everything!</p>