If a school is my number one choice, but my SAT and GPA are below their requirements, Should I apply Early
Decision or Regular Decision?
If the scores are below their specific stated requirements, don’t even apply at all. You will just be wasting your money.
Its not their requirements, Its their 50% average, and I’m just 50 points below it.
If it is your dead-on first choice and if you have run the Net Price Calculator and it looks like the place can be made affordable, then yes your best chance is by applying ED.
If the money thing is iffy, then try re-taking the SAT/ACT to see if you can raise your score, and apply RD so it will be easier to compare financial aid packages.
IF the school is your definite first choice, IF you can afford the school, IF you think your first semester grades will be on par with your existing grades, and IF you are not planning to re-take your standardized tests they why not apply ED?
If you think first-semester senior year will not help your grades, if you think you can’t improve on standardized testing, then apply ED (but make sure you can afford it based on your current financial circumstance).
However, if you think you can get straight A’s first semester senior year, improve 100 points on the SAT, then applying RD will be better (despite the ED advantage).
Also, depends on if you have any hooks. If you’re legacy/athlete, I would recommend that you apply ED.