<p>Basically I want to know the pro's and Con's of applying EA/ED to more selective universities. Specifically for those mediocre students. Lets take me for example.....
Below are my stats. I've had an upward trend yet obviously am not the best student out there. Should, I or should I not apply ED to these schools? The reason i post here is cuz my counselor is very ambiguous in his responses. doesn't really give me a clear yes or no answer</p>
<p>I've been CONSIDERING applying EA/ED to one or some of the following schools:
-Vassar
-Brown
-Duke
-Stanford
-Amherst
-USC
-U of Chicago </p>
<p>Bare with me please lol. </p>
<p>School Type: Good California Public
Location: Cal
Race/Gender: White Female
Prospective Major: Poli sci/international relations/sociology ... something along those lines
Unweighted GPA: 3.48
Weighted GPA: 3.85
Class rank: 36 of 508 </p>
<p>SAT I Scores
SAT I Math: march 05 (hopefully 690ish)
SAT I reading: march 05 (700 or above)
SAT I Writing: March 05 ( high 600's-700)</p>
<p>SAT II Scores
SAT II Math IC: march 05 (690-700)
SAT II Molecular Biology: june 05 (700's)
SAT II Ecological Biology: may 05 (700's)
SAT II: Spanish (hopeully 600's)</p>
<hr>
<p>My classes </p>
<p>Frosh:
Ac Algebra (C/D) (A-Summer school 04)
Ac Spanish (A/A)
Ac English (B,C)
Ac Biology (B/B)
Choir (A,A)
Ac World History (B,C) </p>
<p>Soph:
Ac Geometry (B,B)
Honors Spanish (B,A)
Honors English (A,A)
Ac Chemistry (B,B)
Choir (A,A)
College Classes:
US history (A)
Political Science (A) </p>
<p>Junior: (as of the quarter and anticipated grades)
Honors Algebra 3 (A/A)
AP Spanish (A/A)
Honors English (A/A))
AP Biology (A/A)
Choir (A/A)
College Classes
Psychology (A)
classes spring 05
-Comparative Gov (A)
- Chemistry (B) </p>
<p>Senior: (anticipated grades)
Honors Trig (A/A)
Calstate U Spanish (A)
AP English lit (A/A)
AP Physics (or at calstate...) (A,A)
AP Gov/Macro Econ (A/A)
Choir (A/A)
AP Euro History (or same class at the university) A</p>
<p>You certainly don't look like a mediocre student to me.</p>
<p>It is far too early to narrowing down your list to specific schools. Honestly, there is nobody anywhere who can give you informed advice without a real SAT score and a junior year high school rank. The rank (or equivalent measure) is probably the single most important academic measure and it can change radically from sophmore to junior year as the weighting of APs really kicks in.</p>
<p>Overall, you list looks very top heavy for a preliminary list. I think it is often a good idea to start in the middle with solid match schools and expand the list outwards in both directions -- especially before you have a real SAT score. Your goal, for now, should be to explore different types of schools (small/med/large, urban/sub/rural, etc.) more than locking onto specific names.</p>
<p>ED is not going to get you accepted unless you are a solid candidate for the school to begin with. To the extent that it improves your odds, it is because ED gives you an edge over other equally solid applicants.</p>
<p>Masha, I think you know you are not a mediocre student. Your potential grades and potential scores do not preclude the possibility of getting into one of the selective schools on your list. Colleges like to see upward trends and if you do as well as you project, your 9th grade performance won't hurt you. </p>
<p>However, grades and scores are only a piece of the total puzzle. Just about everyone under consideration at these schools will have mostly A's and scores above 1400. A good many will have all A's and perfect SATs. What you need to do in the next year is to focus on what will make you stand out to the admissions committee. Since you are not an URM (and I assume not a recruited athlete) you have three other ways to add to your total presentation -- essays, recommendations, and extra curriculars. It's the EC area that can do the most to differentiate. What are your interests, passions if you will? Select one or two and build a resume of outstanding achievement. Aspire to leadership positions, awards, any kind of extra effort that shows accomplishment. This takes work, just like academics, and absolutely must be heartfelt and sincere. Don't pursue an activity because you think it will help you get into college. It helps if your essays, recommendations and EC's build on a central theme or themes. Who are you? What will you bring to the college community? </p>
<p>Applying ED does give you a statistical boost. You should also demonstrate interest by visiting and possibly starting up communication with one of the academic departments. At the end of the day, however, you have to have the right stuff to be considered.</p>
<p>In addition to your eventual ED choice, you absolutely must have a good mix of reasonable matches and safeties. If you want to attend one of the UCs then fine. If you'd rather go to a small private school, then start doing some research on less selectives. These are harder to find (everyone loves those big names) but they are out there and the quality of education is every bit as good.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for those who responded. great info.</p>
<p>I do have EC's that I've been doing for the past year, peer education/community outreach type stuff. However most of these things I started at the end of my sophomore year/beggining of junior year so I don't know how or if that will affect me. I'm really involved but I haven't achieved anything THAT spectacular</p>
<p>You have a great shot at a lot of these schools if your grades continue as projected, and if your SAT's come in as expected.</p>
<p>One small point: Saw USC on your list of schools you're thinking of for ED/EA. Not sure they offer that option. (Do any of the California schools?) So if by chance USC is your first choice, you may want to be careful about applying someone else early.</p>
<p>thank you. I believe they do have that option actually becausee a friend of mine applied there last year ED/EA (can't remember). She might have just wanted to apply way early and get all the stuff out of the way though..</p>
<p>if you keep the upward trend, you have an extremely high probability of getting into all UC's, except Berkeley and UCLA, which are highly selective. (I don't mean that you won't have a good shot, but just that the numbers are against everyone lower than a 4.7gpa. 1600 scores and patent inventor of the new mousetrap.) </p>
<p>You're an automatic acceptance at all CSU's with that transcript, but, note that SD is impacted and give priority to local residents. You'll need high scores and transcripts to get in there if you are from outside of SD County. Other impacted schools are Long Beach, Cal Poly, Fullerton.</p>
<p>masha, you're certainly not mediocre, but ea/ed is intended for students who have a very clear picture of their preferred school, and since you have a list of over 5 unis youre considering applying ea/ed i'd suggest that you just wait and apply to all in regular decision time. keep in mind that when you apply early you are judged against the students who are most committed to getting in.</p>