<p>I've always wondered, and I know this will sound depressingly pessimistic, but:</p>
<p>Is is worth it to apply to top tier (Ivy, MIT, Standford) schools when you know that a handful of more-qualified, higher ranked peers are doing the same? Especially if you attend a school that isn't going to accept loads of students to those schools each year? </p>
<p>Ex: You are applying to Princeton with mediocre stats and stellar ECs, or stellar stats and mediocre ECs. You find out the valedictorian is also applying to Princeton, along with the top 2,3, and 4 ranked students. </p>
<p>...is it worth it? Why would they possibly pick you over the other candidates?</p>
<p>I’ve been deliberating that question for myself too, and I would say not to do it, if you’re that doubtful about it. Unless you write an extraordinarily memorable essay, then I doubt that they would choose you over the more qualified applicants. Plus, think of it this way, applying to Ivies require so many more essays, so you can save that time working on your current essays! :)</p>
<p>I wouldn’t try EA/ED because if you’ve lost confidence in yourself, you’ve lost the game already. If, by the time December rolls around, you’ve gathered enough confidence to say, “MIT! Here I come, biotch!” then by all means, shoot for the stars. Seeing as you’ve emitted such a depressing atmosphere into this thread, go for a lower reach school that you think you will actually get into.</p>
<p>I wanted to apply to Stanford EA, but I asked myself, “Am I really Stanford material?” I have average ECs, I don’t know my Oct. SAT score, my grades are very good, my essays could be stellar, but I still know at the end of each day that there are soooo many qualified applicants with stellar everything that apply EA. Is it worth it? Of course if it’s a dream school. But for me, Stanford was more a prestige school than a dream school. So, I decided I would apply for it if I have time in the upcoming months, but not right now. I’m giving everything I’ve got for JHU now and although it’s still very competitive, I am confident I can get in.</p>
<p>College admissions don’t just randomly pick students. At top tier levels, a single edge can get you into Harvard, while a slight slaw in your application could spell out disaster. 26k applicants for Stanford each year and in that pool, there are many, MANY seemingly-perfect applicants who get rejected, but not without reason. Let’s say applicant A has 4.0/2360, stellar ECs, recs. Applicant B has 4.0/2360 and same stellar-ness of ECs, recs. Applicant C has 4.0/2370, stellar ECs, recs and the same quality of essays as applicant A. It’s come down to 2 applicants out of these 3 before the class is filled. Applicant B wrote a supplement essay slightly better than A did, so he’s in. C has 10 more points than A, so she’s in. Applicant A, albeit outstanding and well-rounded and in every way an excellent student, gets rejected. What I’m trying to say is that if you look at the overall competition, you should get a picture of how far behind or ahead of the game you are. If you can’t compare with those candidates, then try for a less competitive school that you really like.</p>