Is it worth applying ED?

Colleges & Universities A-Z Stanford University
1

<p>Thanks in advance for any replies -
Do you think I'd have a shot applying ED? (and please give your honest opinion) </p>

<p>So, first off I'm from a very underrepresented state (MS - which I'm pretty sure is very underrepresented at most elite schools - which I think makes me a geographic minority? I'm from a rural area also haha) and I go to a small high school (<50 in my graduating class) that offers no APs or Honors classes at all. That being said:</p>

<p>***Standardized tests:
-ACT - 33; retaking, should have 34+ by application time
-PSAT - 225 (should definitely be a semifinalist/finalist, my state's cutoff range hovers around 202)
-Still have to take SAT IIs</p>

<p>***Grades and classes:
-Unweighted GPA - 4.0 (98.6 at the moment). My school doesn't offer any AP classes, but I've tried to make up for it by taking as many classes as possible. I've actually run out of science and math classes to take at my school, because junior year I took all of the math/science classes that seniors usually take. Senior year I'm going to take some classes at a community college to fill my schedule.
-Class rank-1st </p>

<p>-Last semester I took two classes at a local college, A+ in both
-This semester I another class at local college, A+
-Just completed the Mississippi Rural Medical Scholars program and took two pre-med classes, A+ in both</p>

<p>***Honors, awards, etc:
-1st place, mississippi mathematics and science tournament (biology - also plan on majoring in some type of biology) sophomore and junior year
-Science Quest finalist - biology sophomore year and physics junior year
-since 9th grade I've had the highest average in every class I've taken
-star student, scholar athlete, other misc. awards</p>

<p>***ECs
-Student government: 9th grade class treasurer, 10th and 11th class president
-Beta Club president
-Math/Science team
-Academic team
-varsity cross country, competed in state championships twice
-about 100 hrs volunteering at a hospital
-50 hrs volunteering in Ecuador over spring break building a school
-last summer attended a leadership program at Johns Hopkins
-Just completed the Mississippi Rural Medical Scholars program (really selective, only 20 kids in the state get accepted, spent 5 weeks taking pre med classes and shadowing doctors)
-I'm going to spent the rest of the summer volunteering at a center for underprivileged children</p>

<p>**<em>Essay/recommendations:
essay - *should</em> be great
recommendations - my principal and counselor both really like me so I should have stellar letters of recommendation</p>

2

<p>Stanford has Restricted Early Action, not ED. It’s non-binding, but does prohibit one from applying early elsewhere, with certain narrow exceptions relating to in-state pubic colleges. Applying from a relatively-underrepresented state can boost an application to some extent, especially when that application is already academically within range, like yours. So if Stanford is your genuine first choice, I’d say you should consider applying REA. Good luck.</p>

3

<p>Lol instate “pubic” colleges.
If you like Stanford that much, then apply EA.</p>

4

<p>LOL is right, danish. That’s such a hard typo to notice when you’re typing!</p>

5

<p>^^ thanks. The only thing is I don’t want to waste my early application. I’m kind of split between Stanford, Duke, and Dartmouth. I’m also looking at Vandy and Northwestern. Out of those I’m pretty sure Stanford is the biggest reach for me, but also the one I’d most like to attend</p>

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<p>I would NOT apply to Stanford REA since you are “kind of split” on your choice for #1. Even if you raise your ACT score to a 34, you are still not as likely to get accepted there compared to Duke or even Dartmouth. Pick between Duke or Dartmouth for the early submittal and apply to Stanford in the RD round. Congratulations on entering the final leg of an outstanding HS career and good luck!</p>

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<p>jshain, Dartmouth and Duke both have binding early decision, so if the OP got in to one of those, he wouldn’t have the option of applying to Stanford in the RD round.</p>

8

<p>^Applying to Stanford RD would be if he was rejected ED from either Duke or Dart in the ED round.</p>

9

<p>Stanford REA helps a bit, not as much as some ED schools, but if you want to go to Stanford definately apply EA</p>