<p>okay so I visited Dartmouth and loved it. I want to apply ED and I understand its always a reach, you never know etc.
I also loved Northwestern (not quite as much but I think I could be happy there) and I know that I have a much better chance of getting in there, particularly if I were to apply ED
Dartmouth would be my clear first choice but I know I would be kicking myself if I applied ED, got rejected and then got rejected from Northwestern RD</p>
<p>3.85 uw GPA-difficult course load</p>
<p>top 10%</p>
<p>SAT 2250-take again in November
M 680 CR 800 W 770
Just took Lit and Math2, thought it went well</p>
<p>ACT 33 (both)
1. M 34 W 35 R 35 S 26
2. M 28 W 34 R 36 S 34</p>
<p>Main EC's
Varsity Track
Camp Counselor (in a leadership training program for 3 years)
News Editor of school paper
French Club President--help coordinate exchange
Coordinated Jamnesty fundraiser for Amnesty International
Ski Team
elected by class to write senior production (comedy)
lots of community service-meal program, special olympics etc.</p>
<p>I will probably study english but i'm not sure, just no math</p>
<p>Middle-class, white and female, from Wi
can pay in full</p>
<p>I love Dartmouth, but is it worth it at all to apply ED? I'm trying to be realistic</p>
<p>any advice is appreciated</p>
<p>If you think you would be equally as happy to attend a more realistic school, I’d say apply ED there and not to the reach. If you think about it, if you apply early to Dartmouth and get deferred or rejected, you have just passed up the GREATEST opportunity to show your interest to Northwestern. Now, you will be faced with the all the rest of the Northwestern regular applicants, where the sheer magnitude of the applicant pool increases your chances of falling through the cracks and getting rejected/waitlisted. If you apply ED to Dartmouth, don’t get accepted, and then do RD for NW, and don’t get in… you might be quite unhappy come next year. </p>
<p>From your stats, I’d say that you have QUITE a good chance at Northwestern ED (whereas at Dartmouth, even kids with your stats are turned down in an instant). I’ve heard stories of past alums of my school who applied early to a reach, got deferred/rejected, and then DIDN’T get accepted into their 2nd tier schools. This just goes to show that you have to play your early card very wisely, and that sometimes the ED Reach school isn’t always the better one for your future. </p>
<p>Also, if you’re worried about prestige or anything like that, I’m pretty sure that Northwestern is also considered an ivy nowadays. </p>
<p>definitely post what you decide to do!</p>
<p>One thing that may sway your strategy is that I noticed S’s ‘scores’ on his Dartmouth banner page included ACT M from one test date and ACT R from the other test date. If this is regular practice at Dartmouth, you have a perfect Reading score and a very high Math score. Your stock may be slightly higher in Dartmouth’s eyes.</p>