EARLY or NOT EARLY?

Applying to College
1

<p>I have a huge problem
I am a junior applying in a few months</p>

<p>My grades are superb
Class Rank is top 5%
SAT Scores:
1st time I got
Math:750
Writing:750
CR:610
Total:2110</p>

<p>I am going to get this up to 2250</p>

<p>And I have some extremely extremely relevant and unique E.C's and leadership positions.</p>

<p>My family is in a higher income bracket, but in a lot of debt so not much money for college if any, so I really want to get a nice financial aid package</p>

<p>Looking for Business Economics</p>

<p>Here are the two scenarios that I am not sure about:
1) Early decision to Cornell AEM program (I have legacy there)
Apply also to Rutgers and some medium level schools
Pros: decent chance at getting in
Cons: never get to know if I'd get into better school
don't know financial aid package, could get screwed</p>

<p>2) Apply Regular admission to like 20 schools, including all ivies, stanford, chicago, rutgers, lehigh, washu, nwestern, carnegie mellon, emory
Pros: Be able to see all financial aid package</p>

<p>Cons: less of a chance to get into one of them because no early admission</p>

<p>I am so confused because I really want to go to an upper tier school, but at the same time I don't want to be in so much debt. I'd really like to know financial aid before I commit and I really want to know if maybe by some chance I could get into one of those top schools. </p>

<p>No doubt I would be thrilled to go to Cornell, but damn I just want to know if I could get into any of the others</p>

<p>Thoughts?</p>

2

<p>There is no reason to apply ED if you need money for aid.
Apply to another one of your schools Restrictive early action where it would help you(Harvard, Stanford) and apply to the rest RD</p>

3

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<p>How complex is your family’s financial situation? Is it pretty straightforward salary or do they own a business, rentals, etc.? If straightforward, have you run the NPCs for the schools?</p>

<p>You have all of the pros and cons correct, so you know what the answer is: Early, yes. ED, no.</p>