<p>I've been thinking about this for a while. These two schools (Harvard and Columbia) are both at the top of my list. At this point, I can't differentiate between them any more. What I want to be able to do is maximize my chances of getting into one. So assuming I'm a strong candidate (top 10 in class, 2250+SAT, focused ECs w/leadership), would SCEA to Harvard or ED to Columbia be the best option? Also, don't worry about money in this situation. My parents said if I got into either, they would help me out with the costs.</p>
<p>They both offer financial aid and if I recall correctly, are need-blind for US citizens. So, you’ve got nothing to worry on that front.</p>
<p>If you can’t choose, why not give their course requirements a second look? You might find out that you hate Harvard’s distribution requirements and love Columbia’s core. If you live in the area, try scheduling visits and talking to students.</p>
<p>I have visited both and they both have their appeals. Harvard’s living system. Columbia’s abundance of opportunities ie internships right in the city (especially since i want to do IR and neuro). Columbia also makes it easy to double major while it can be very hard to do the same at Harvard. The core is something that intrigues me; I would be taking classes that I would never take if i went elsewhere but i don’t have to be scared because I can rely on all my classmates who will be taking the same classes. And harvard’s dist. req. allow for a variety of classes to be taken. Also, my cousin who goes to harvard said that not many people go abroad at harvard and i know that many do go at Columbia.</p>
<p>They both just have so many good things that I really can’t choose. The deciding factor will probably be which one will give me the best chance of admission, ED or SCEA</p>
<p>That 60% figure for Harvard includes internships and summer activities abroad, not just study. If I recall the information provided at Freshman Parents Weekend, the figure for study abroad was about 10-15% because most Harvard students want to maximize their time at Harvard.</p>
<p>One thing I’ve heard is that because Harvard is SCEA, it’s applicant pool will be much stronger early than Columbia’s for ED. Is this true? Would this hypothetically make it “easier” to get in ED as opposed to RD?</p>
<p>Although a larger percentage of the Early Decision applicant pool is admitted than of the Regular Decision pool, that higher acceptance rate reflects the remarkable strength of a self-selected group of applicants. A candidate to whom we otherwise would not offer admission is not going to be accepted simply because he or she applied under the Early Decision program.</p>
<p>We strongly urge you to apply under the Early Decision program if and only if Columbia is your first choice."</p>
<p>I think ED would give you more of a boost than SCEA because you’re making a commitment to the school. Of course they’re going to tell you all the ED applicants would be admitted RD. I’m sure they say the same about legacies. They also send e-mails to practically everyone saying they would be an “excellent candidate”. Doesn’t mean it’s true.</p>
<p>The thing is, if you apply ED, you have to go to the school. You don’t get a few more months to think about it. So if you’re honestly torn between the schools, you might not want to commit to Columbia right away. If you apply to Harvard SCEA, you can still apply to Columbia RD.</p>