<p>@OP
Are you sincere about Yale being your dream school? Because on the Cornell thread, you make it sound like Cornell is your dream school. </p>
<p>Anyways,
apply to your dream school ED (in the case of Cornell) or REA (in the case of Yale) and good luck.</p>
<p>I actually never gave Cornell a chance until a couple of days ago…and promptly fell in love with Ithaca. I guess I’m sounding very fickle right now 
</p>
<p>not that it even matters though - I doubt I’ll get in anyway. ): I won’t get FA at Cornell though, being international…</p>
<p>Edit: Computer got logged out at the library, message got jumbled. What I meant to say was:</p>
<p>not that it matters though, whether I like Cornell or Yale more. I really, really like Cornell’s campus and the huge number of undergrads, and Ithaca’s rural beauty, but I absolutely adore Yale as well on the other hand. Yale is my dream school, but I feel that I’d be just as happy at Cornell…but the thing is, even if I DO get into Cornell, I will most likely not receive enough FA to study there. International students at Cornell very rarely get full rides, and I certainly need one. (total income <15k/year woohoo) </p>
<p>At this point in time, I’m deliberating between SCEAing at Yale and EDing at Cornell. While I’m pretty sure I won’t have a chance at Yale, if I DO get accepted, I get a full ride, whereas at Cornell, even if I get in, I most likely won’t be able to attend.</p>
<p>Based on your situation finifugalmeep, I would say SCEA at Yale because ED is binding and if you find that you are unable to attend Cornell, then you would have a hard time with that contract.</p>
<p>Does Yale look at “context” as much as MIT does? I was just on the MIT forums, and it seems like context is a huge deal over there.</p>
<p>Every selective institution will look within the context of your background and your school.</p>
<p>Ex: You attend a school where most people are taking 4 SAT II tests. They will see that and will expect you to have taken at least 4 as well. (From the book by Erinn Andrews, a former Stanford admissions assistant director.)</p>
<p>Do certain schools take into account context more than others?
Possibly…probably…but who knows except the adcoms.</p>