<p>This is both a question about the stanford admissions process and a chances thread. (sorry about posting again, but im so stuck on what to do and need advice desperately)
ok how are my chances at stanford scea?
I don't know wether i should just wait until rd, or apply now because i have all the app materials ready.</p>
<p>Took most rigorous course load school has to offer
current schedule:
AP LA 12, AP Chem, AP Calc, AP American Gov., Photography, Piano
GPA: 3.8UW
Test Scores: This is what kills me ugh.... SAT I - 1810, 1920.....
EC's: They are good, too lazy to list.
I have a couple of awards, nothing to major. I am a low-income urm, and I know stanford takes challenges and factors into consideration...</p>
<p>How are my chances??? Not too good? My app is perfect except for my dang test scores. The thing is, i know stanford is my number 1 choice, but the applicant pool for scea is so strong that my test scores I fear will get me automatically rejected.</p>
<p>My question is, should I desperately try and improve my test scores and apply rd, or just hope i get lucky and that stanford will see through my test scores and admit me through scea?</p>
<p>Also, I heard there is an option that once you submit your scea application, you can change your mind and make it a normal rd app by dec 1. So lets say i get good scores before dec. 1, maybe I will just be able to change my app to rd then.</p>
<p>I know this kind of an obscure post, but plz give me your honest opinions, this thing is consuming my mind right now and I'm not sure what to do.</p>
<p>i really don't think ur app is perfect other than the test scores...try the act, but a 1920 as it stands will more than kill you at a number of schools, let alone 'furd</p>
<p>I think it's risky - if they review you before Dec 1 and decide on a deny, they may not change that even if you change it to RD - the only thing that may change is when you find out.
I think applying early with a sub-optimal app is not a sound strategy - if your app is not yet the best it can be, wait for RD.</p>
<p>In all honesty, I don't see the harm in going for it. If you feel confident about everything else, there's nothing that waiting a few months will change. Just apply. Taking the SAT again won't magically boost you if you get slightly higher, unless you somehow score hundreds more--no offense, but I'd say it's pretty unlikely. Feel free to prove me wrong, however. But really, there is such a broad range of scores and ECs here that, past a certain point, it's difficult for anyone to judge whether or not your score will kill your app. Anyone who says he/she can is an idiot.</p>
<p>I don't know the details of your circumstances, but it sounds at this point that your app can't get any stronger other than your test scores. If that's the case, just apply. There are plenty of people who just don't take standardized tests well (or whatever) and there are plenty of them at Stanford. Best of luck.</p>
<p>I don't mean to debate this, and you must make your own choice, but Stanford is known to do its first sort on SAT I (with appropriate deviations for special categories like URM, etc. But you have all the input now, and need to make your decision.</p>
<p>wow thanks a lot guys. jwj and ailey you guys made very good points that ive thought about. I've made my decision to just apply now.thank you very much. Ailey, I never thought about it that way, u are right if they have already made their decision than changing it will only delay the time in recieving an predetermined rejection.</p>
<p>Excellent post jwj, Thank you sooooo much. You are totally right and your point is so true that I feel dumb for not thinking about it like that. I really don't even see myself raising my score to make that much of a difference anyway so you are right. It also says a lot coming from a current stanford student.
And you might be seeing me there in the fall!</p>
<p>Yes, that's in a book published a couple of years ago, quoting a Stanford admissions officer. As I said, other factors are taken into account, but the SAT I is pretty important in the first sort. I've never seen any college publish cutoffs, because it is applicant-context dependent (URM, financial circumstances, etc)</p>
<p>Interesting thing about cutoffs--they're actually not automatic. Every application is read in its entirety, and the reader argues for you why you should be accepted. And it's not one person making the decisions like I think it was my year--it's now a committee that deliberates over each applicant. So to all applying: have some faith in yourselves, you're almost certainly going to have someone arguing on your behalf! :-)</p>
<p>Anywho, glad to have been of use. Hope to see you here in the fall!</p>