<p>For the HS class of 2007 (the last year that Harvard and Princeton had EA like they recently reinstated for this year), H and P's EA admit rates were 3.51 and 3.54 times their RA admit rates, respectively. This year will be similar, most likely.</p>
<p>HOWEVER (keeping in mind SAT's aren't everything):</p>
<p>If you are a better applicant when you apply RD, is it better to apply RD? </p>
<p>Basically, is it better to wait for RD and apply with a 2380 superscore, or apply SCEA with a 2280 single time score?</p>
<p>Apply SCEA. The last time I looked, SCEA applicants at Harvard and other elites were admitted at the same rate as RD applicants with SAT scores 150-200 points higher, on average. The idea that early applicants are “stronger” so as to justify their far higher admit rate - ANYPLACE - (other than, perhaps, for anomalous demographic reasons, MIT) is a myth.</p>
<p>The main reason for having an early admissions program (although not the only reason) is to raise the yield rate. Statistics show that early applicants are far more likely to enroll if admitted, which is why they are admitted at a higher rate.</p>
<p>“The idea that early applicants are “stronger” so as to justify their far higher admit rate - ANYPLACE - (other than, perhaps, for anomalous demographic reasons, MIT) is a myth.”</p>
<p>Is there an advantage to applying Single-Choice Early Action to Yale?
Applying Single-Choice Early Action does not increase the likelihood of being admitted to Yale. Historically, the rate of admission among early applicants has been higher than the overall admission rate because many of our strongest candidates, from a wide range of backgrounds and interests, apply early. We therefore offer this advice: Apply for Single-Choice Early Action if you want to receive a decision in mid-December and you are confident of the credentials you will be presenting to the admissions committee early in your senior year. An Early Action applicant must meet the same criteria for admission as an applicant in the regular pool. A thoughtful college search and a careful assessment of your readiness to present a strong application as early as November 1, are key. Candidates who need more time, for whatever reason, will be better served by our Regular Decision process."</p>
<p>Very careful dance maneuvers in this typical “party line” response from the Yale admissions office. The Harvard, Princeton or Stanford admissions offices would say roughly the same thing. DON’T BELIEVE IT! If it was HARDER to get in applying early, and if applicants BELIEVED it was harder, then very few would ever apply - they’d be crazy to do so - and colleges would lose the yield rate boost they are seeking.</p>
<p>Let these admissions folk DEMONSTRATE the truth of their coy claim by reporting the average SAT scores of the early admits vs.the RD admits. They don’t do it, because it might disprove the vague and really meaningless assertion that “many of our strongest candidates” apply early. </p>
<p>Strong or weak, the early candidates are admitted at a far higher rate than RD applicants with equivalent SAT scores.</p>
<p>That’s why every student who really wants to maximize his or her odds of admission to school “X” should apply early. If he or she despairs of admission to school “X” under any circumstances, then he or she should apply early to school “Y”, where the odds may be more favorable. </p>
<p>This is the advice college counselors at the top private and public schools give to their graduating seniors. These people know that the huge admissions edge accorded early admits far outstrips the alleged “strength” of the typical early pool applicants.</p>
<p>Maybe other parents/students can supply you with additional stats, but I can only give you the stats for my two kids, who both applied SCEA to Yale and regular to Harvard.</p>
<ul>
<li>My daughter (SAT CR: 710, SAT M: 730, SAT W: 800; ACT Composite: 34) applied SCEA to Yale and was deferred, then rejected. She was also rejected at Princeton. She is currently a sophomore at Harvard.</li>
<li>My son (SAT CR: 720, SAT M: 770, SAT W: 780; ACT: 36) applied SCEA to Yale and was accepted. While he was also accepted to Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown and 11 other schools, he was rejected from Harvard. He is now a freshman at Yale.</li>
</ul>
<p>Admissions Decisions are not always as black and white as you naively portray them to be. Often times – as with my son and daughter – the odds you think you have, do not always work out in your favor.</p>
<p>^^^ BTW: In my opinion, the Admissions Office’s of Harvard and Yale made a huge mistake with my kids. My daughter, who is at Harvard, would have thrived at Yale, as her interest is primarily in theater (Harvard does not grant a degree in theater – which is very frustrating for my daughter, as she is choosing majors at Harvard based upon subjects she hates the least). On the other hand, my son, who is at Yale, probably would have done better at Harvard, as he is a more math/computer science oriented kid. Again: Admissions Decisions are not always as black and white as you have portrayed them to be. Your odds of ending up at the “ideal” school are sometimes at the whim of chance.</p>
<p>Great advice, cottonmather. What you say is true (or atleast, I believe it completely) that if it really wasn’t any “easier” to get in SCEA than RD, colleges would post those statistics showing so. </p>
<p>Gibby, one can’t use the instances of 2 people to form a conclusion. I do believe that it’s wool over the eyes if a school says one would have an equal chance SCEA vs RD…the admit rates don’t lie and “a more talented SCEA pool” wouldn’t boost the admit rate THREE+ TIMES. </p>
<p>Also, I woundn’t say those Admissions offices made mistakes…they accept and deny who they want to. Be lucky that are a parent of 2 great children, who happened to not be fully satisfied witht their college situations.</p>
<p>OP, have you considered that many of the Early Applicants are hooked (legacies, athletic recruits, Questbridge, etc.)? Within the Early pool, these candidates have a leg up over the non-hooked.
What is the acceptance rate for an Early NON-hooked applicant?</p>
<p>I do feel very lucky to have 2 great children in 2 wonderful schools – even though both are not totally happy. However, I think cottonmather is very wrong in his assumptions. If you’re an above average student, with great SAT’s, your chances of getting accepted SCEA do not increase just because you applied SCEA (as opposed to regular). In fact, your chances may decrease because you are competing with all the other kids who have uber-credentials. On the other hand, if you are a recruited athlete, a legacy applicant, a sibling applicant, an Intel Science Winner, a Math Olympiad, or have co-wrriten a paper with an MIT professor (I know of one Harvard admit last year who did just that), your chances ARE greatly increased!</p>
<p>Expect to see HYP filling half or more of their freshman classes from the much smaller early pools next year, including deferred early applicants admitted later from the RD pool, who have, in effect, signaled their willingness to matriculate if admitted.</p>
<p>There are obviously no guarantees, but don’t let ANYBODY try to convince you that your chances of admission are better if you wait for the regular round.</p>
<p>Cottonmather: Please keep us posted on how you do on the early round. It will be interesting to see if your expectations will be met with the desired result.</p>
<p>Your kids are stronger than their numbers indicate, gibby. Must be two great kids, a proud gibby. Care to share what you think their strengths are?</p>
<p>My daughter was very active in the theater community at high school. She was in 2-3 musical/drama productions per year, as well being the flyer for her cheerleading team. My son played sports (baseball, soccer, volleyball, downhill skiing – none at the Division 1 level though). Both kids are pretty ordinary in the extracurricular sense; they are good all-arounders with high GPA’s and good test scores – neither one of them won any special awards. If I had to point to one thing that may have tipped the balance in their favor, it was their essays. Both worked for about 5 months on their personal statements – over 3 times as long as they worked doing test prep for the SAT/ACT.</p>
<p>I’m assuming you are applying SCEA this year and will be interested, come mid-December, if you actually get-in, given your brashness about everyone’s chances are better if they apply early.</p>
<p>My assessments are statistically based, and not “brash” in the slightest. I am long since graduated and have no horse in this race, so that your assumptions are mistaken.</p>