<p>Hey, I was wondering if anyone has advice on whether I should try applying ED to Rice. It's probably my first choice (well, Stanford might be my first but I have almost no confidence I'd get in there). Anyway, I live in northern Virginia so not really anyone here looks to go to Rice, so I was wondering if it's smart for me to apply ED with my stats.</p>
<p>SAT/ACT: 2120 SAT, 33 ACT (first try for both)</p>
<p>class rank: 6th out of 350</p>
<p>GPA: 4.42 weighted, [one B+ in HS, all the rest A's (no A-'s, only A's and A+'s)]</p>
<p>Course Load: will finish HS with 10 AP's, basically hardest possible course load</p>
<p>AP's: 5's on all four AP tests so far, AP Scholar with Honor</p>
<p>EC:
4 year member, 3 year officer, and current President of Future Business Leaders of America
Senior Class Officer
VP of French Honors Society
Secretary of Key Club
Member of NHS
French Club and Math Club member
roughly 100 volunteer hours, with Key Club and Habitat for Humanity
3 years of rec baseball and basketball while in HS</p>
<p>Awards:
attended Governor's foreign Language Academy for French in VA in summer 2010 (competitive/prestigious program)
National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalist
tons of various yearly school subject awards (about a dozen?)</p>
<p>Major Interest for College: Civil Engineering</p>
<p>I guess that's about it... any opinions/advice? Should I ED to Rice? Is that my only good chance at getting in?Thanks so much in advance.</p>
<p>Yeah, I guess it’s not totally my top choice, but im thinking my first choice is pretty much out of reach at this point (unless you think that I have a chance at Stanford?). Do you think I could get in RD at Rice? or would i need to apply early to get in?</p>
<p>You should only apply early decision if you are positive that the school to which you are applying ED is your absolute first choice. And since you have already stated that it isn’t your first choice…?</p>
<p>I think you’re being too modest. You’re in the top two percent of your class taking a demanding course load and have good scores. You chances are not nearly as low as you think they are. We all know stats do not guarantee acceptance, but you do seem like a pretty competitive applicant.</p>
<p>Apply RD to both if you’re interested in them (although you could apply SCEA to Stamford if it’s a top choice and you don’t plan to apply early anywhere else, too).</p>
<p>Your SAT and ACT scores mirror those of my son. He applied ED to Stanford and was denied. He applied RD to Rice and about 8 other schools, only Duke wait-listed him, the rest were acceptances. The reason he accepted Rice was due to merit money. If you were to ask him now, he would say the stars were aligned the day he matriculated at Rice. He absolutely loves Rice, would never look back or even consider being anywhere else. He’s a junior now, and planning on staying on to do his masters at Rice as well.</p>
<p>You want to know what your chances are at Stanford?
Then ask yourself seriously how good-- that is, how honest, representative, intelligent, and clearly communicative-- an essay you’ve written, and what kind of impression you’ve made on your recommenders.
Your grades and scores are excellent. Not the best in the world, but good enough to be a contender anywhere. It is other factors that will matter, and those are precisely the factors we can’t comment on.</p>