Yale has come out as a clear first choice to me in the college admissions process, but I’m not sure if there’s any sense in me earlying to Yale. I’ve heard that there’s no actual advantage in SCEA, however (especially because tougher competition), and I may be able to strengthen my GPA first semester next year (I have around a 3.8 UW with a significant upward trend; perhaps I can raise this first semester senior year, but not sure how significant this would be- thoughts?). The rest of the schools on my list right now are mostly ED schools, and since I’ve decided not to ED, this decision is getting pretty tough! Thank you all in advance for your advice!
It sounds like you feel your GPA uptrend will make your application stronger after the first semester. In that case I would recommend you hold off until RD since SCEA is best used by those who think their application can’t get any better. Perhaps there is another EA choice you could find that is more of a match or high match that will enable you to send out fewer applications at year end assuming you get into that school.
@YaleGradandDad - thank you. Just had a conversation with my guidance counselor, and she advised me to apply early because 1) Yale will have my first quarter grades (although it won’t factor into my gpa) and 2) I can show commitment/the standard argument for applying early. What do you think?
I am not YaleGradandDad (obviously), but I’m going to chime in with an opinion. While there is some slight benefit to an Early Application, it will not be greater than the benefit of a more compelling application, whether grades, essay, etc. ED applications have a material effect on yield management, but SCEA applications don’t. Yale is not overly worried about “commitment,” but I guess it helps to show that you’re not one of the people applying to all of the Ivies. You’ll notice that “level of interest” is marked as “Not considered,” a distinction shared only with “Religious Affiliation.”
So, I respectfully disagree with your GC. I am a big fan of SCEA and the effect an early acceptance can have on a senior year, but if you think that the extra time would improve your essays, or newer grades will be considerably better (which is contra to the normal grade change in senior year), wait.
Agree with @IxnayBob that to the extent SCEA shows any sort of “commitment” this matters little to Yale which is is in the unusually enviable position of having a yield from admitted applicants of about 70%. There is really no institutional reason for Yale to better like applicants who claim to like them despite there being a “Why Yale” essay (at least in the sense that ED pumps up yield). Understand that Yale chooses to defer the majority of SCEA applicants to the RD round so unless you are a tippy top applicant you are most certainly wasting your chance to apply EA to another private school where an early admission would save you lots of application fees and essay writing. Despite your guidance counselor’s assurances, I would only apply SCEA if you think your application can’t be improved by waiting until December 31.
It will not materially change your chances if you raise your GPA from an unweighted 3.8 to a 4. Plenty of students get into Yale who don’t have perfect GPAs. Your time will be better served ensuring that you have a well rounded application. As others have said, it is good to apply to one of your schools early. It is a great feeling to have the process over before Christmas, if possible. But again, there are so many kids who waited until the spring. I guess what I am really saying is you need to do what is best for you but a .2 increase in your GPA will not be a deal breaker for Yale.
Agree with @YaleGradandDad and @IxnayBob. Besides an upward trend in grades (rigor, Wgpa and possibly rank), are your test scores the “best” you can reasonably expect to attain (1500+SAT/33+ACT/700+ SAT2)), are there pending significant EC accomplishments, major honors/awards that you won’t know about until after Nov 1? Do you think you can present your best shot by Nov 1? If not, wait for RD. If so, do it with open eyes that you may forego shortening your application list by not being able to EA another school that will be a low reach/high match where your probabilities of acceptance will be much higher. At the very least, if you SCEA Yale, do you have an option of getting in your application early to your (or possibly other) state flagship honors program with rolling admissions?