<p>I was wondering whether I could apply to Harvard and UVA (my public in state institution) early action? Thanks I am just a bit confused by what their website says.</p>
<p>I do not believe so. If Harvard is going to REA (Restricted Early Action), you are only allowed to apply to Harvard. But, if harvard is changing to EA (not restricted), then you can apply to UVA (if UVA is also not a REA type-of-school)</p>
<p>jsungoh’s answer is incorrect. Here is what Harvard’s website says:</p>
<p>
Emphasis added.</p>
<p>That is a good deal more liberal than Yale’s policy, which follows:</p>
<p>
Emphasis added.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>It is also more liberal than Stanford’s, which permits any nonbinding application to public universities anywhere, but not to private institutions. </p>
<p>In context, it is clear that Harvard is saying that Harvard EA applicants can apply simultaneously to any other EA institution, as long as the other institution’s acceptance isn’t binding, and the other institution’s rules don’t forbid applying to Harvard EA. Virginia’s EA program is not “Single Choice Early Action” or “Early Decision”, so it clearly does not come within Harvard’s limited prohibition.</p>
<p>Hypothetically, Virginia could say that in-state EA applicants cannot apply simultaneously EA to Harvard. For the moment, however, it seems clear that Virginia isn’t saying that. Its website says that its Early Action program is unrestricted and that applicants can apply to other institutions. </p>
<p>So, it is OK for anyone, not just a Virginia resident, to apply simultaneously to Harvard EA and to Virginia EA. </p>
<p>What’s more, it may even be OK for anyone to apply simultaneously to Harvard EA and to MIT, Chicago, Caltech, Georgetown, and any other nonrestrictive EA private college. Harvard’s statement is a little ambiguous on that score – those programs are not SCEA or ED, but they aren’t “public” either. (And remember to check their rules first, too, kids, if you try this). Harvard really ought to clarify its statement on this. But there’s no ambiguity about Virginia or Michigan.</p>
<p>I doubt that you are interpreting the SCEA at Harvard correctly. If it is as you think it is, it is not a single choice anymore. The exception to the restriction of SCEA is pulic and foreign institutions. Other private institutions such as MIT and Caltech are clearly not permitted.</p>
<p>Read what Harvard says – I quoted it above in full. And, by the way, they don’t call the Harvard program “Single Choice Early Action” or “Restricted Early Action”. So it would not be shocking if it turned out not to be single-choice.</p>
<p>I admit that the policy is ambiguous as to private institutions, and they ought to make things clear. But on what basis do you think that “other private institutions are . . . clearly not permitted”? The policy says “Thou shalt not do X, and thou mayst do Y.” Does that mean that thou shalt not do Z, either, if Z clearly is neither X nor Y? Under Anglo-American fairness norms, they would have a hard time making that case based on their own language – it is far from “clear”.</p>
<p>When I went to check it out, I assumed that it would be more like Yale’s or Stanford’s. But it is different. People at Harvard would have had no trouble reading the Yale and Stanford web sites if they wanted models for describing a SCEA program. I have to assume they departed from those models because they intended to do something different, not because they were dumb or lazy.</p>
<p>Will it be okay for Harvard EA plan if I take my SAT II in November? Would it be too late for EA and I have to apply RD?</p>
<p>I called Harvard’s admission office and received clarification that Harvard is SCEA and not EA. I asked if I could apply to MIT at the same time and this person said no.</p>
<p>Good to know. It would also be a good idea for them to say that on their (long) webpage about Early Action, because it doesn’t say so now. But EA applications to any public college are explicitly permitted.</p>
<p>They would have no way of knowing if you applied SCEA to HYPS, and EA to M.</p>
<p>What do you mean? They have telephones and email, and the leaders all know one another.</p>
<p>Stanford and Columbia found out they had the same candidate in EA/ED where the person was admitted to both and both rescinded - 2011 admittee.</p>
<p>This is the story by Stanford adcom in a May 2011 presentation when someone asked if it is doable.</p>
<p>I agree with JHS.
You can apply to your in-state public school at the same time (and for EA/rolling admission) as harvard EA. But you can’t apply to MIT for EA as well as Harvard EA, simply because MIT isn’t your in-state public school.</p>
<p>I know plenty of people who have SCEA’d to more than one school and everything worked out fine.</p>
<p>SheepGetKilled wrote:
“They would have no way of knowing if you applied SCEA to HYPS, and EA to M.”</p>
<p>Oh, you are so wrong. These admissions officers talk to each other all the time. And if you were to do that, your high school would be complicit, and that could harm applicants in future years. Really.</p>
<p>^^Also, counselors have to send official transcripts to the SCEA schools… and I think most will notice if an applicant is trying to apply to both Stanford and Yale EA, for example.</p>
<p>There’s also a thing called personal integrity.</p>