I’m a high school senior, and my dream school is Princeton. I know I might not have the best odds at getting in, but I feel like I would be cheating myself if I didn’t apply.
My SAT scores are the weakest part of my application. I have a 2030 overall due to a low reading score. I was planning on applying SCEA (due date Nov 1), but now I’m not sure if it would be better to apply regular decision after taking the SAT one more time.
However, I know that the SCEA acceptance rate is higher than the early decision one, even though that is said to be due to a more competitive applicant pool in the early round. I want to know whether I would have a better chance at acceptance if I applied early with my current score and possibly send a November sat in (SCEA recommends that October is the last sat tear date) or wait and apply regular after taking the sat again.
Here’s some additional starts:
Gender: female
Ethnicity: white
Religion: Jewish
Location: small town in NC
GPA: 3.95
Rank: 3/365
Courseload: have gotten all As throughout high school and have taken the most rigorous classes offered
Awards: ap scholar with distinction, scholar athlete, Morehead-Cain school nominee
Clubs: mu alpha theta VP, beta club secretary, NHS member, student council member
Athletics: varsity softball 3 years, run half marathons somewhat regularly
Extra curricular:
Started a charitable tie dye business in which I make hand made tie dye shirts, sell them, and donate the proceeds to a local charity. Have raised over $1000 to the day.
Created a tutoring program at a local middle school
Head coach of a special needs baseball team
Worked as a staff member at a summer camp as a role model to kids (received special recognition as an outstanding staff member)
Spokes model for a local photographer
Tutor as a regular job (paid tutoring)
Babysitting
Worked as a cashier at Harris Teeter for over a year.
IMO You need to wait for RD. Your scores are in the bottom 25% which is filled with recruited athletes (and that you will be competing with in the SCEA pool). Those scores have to come up first.
Bump
You are likely to be deferred in the early round so for you there is little advantage to applying EA. Legacies, recruited athletes, children of faculty, staff and exceptionally qualified applicants make up the larger part of those who are accepted early. Typically the bulk of early applicants are deferred to the regular round.
@“Erin’s Dad” @Cantiger thanks for your responses. I know I am late, but I decided to apply regular decision to Princeton. Wish me luck!!