<p>The AA boost means top URM students won’t be subjected to a process quite as random as a white or asian applicant–ie, it’s a “tip factor” for those already qualified. But, IMO, it cannot confer an advantage big enough to compensate for your raw stats. Yale has an applicant pool full of top 10%, 4.0, 2300+/33+ (? not familiar with ACT) kids, and a decent proportion of those kids will be URMs. </p>
<p>However, I would recommend some upper-tier LACs, which tend to be more lacking in diversity than top unis. Davidson comes to mind.</p>