<p>Sadly I did not know that it is harder to get in during REA than it is during RD. Just some brief stats about myself: I have a 3.57 UW 4.2 W my SAT score is nothing special and my class rank is mediocre. I am really banking on my ec's and my essays to give me a shot. With this said I just found out (I never had anybody to tell me this) that the REA pool is mostly valedictorians with crazy stats. I cannot really compete with these guys unless an admissions officer sees something special in me, which I personally feel will not happen. Obviously this is a reach school for me, but I want to increase my chances of getting in...... should I switch my decision from REA to RD? Help please?</p>
<p>The REA deadline was like two weeks ago, so I don’t know how you would switch?.. I’m pretty sure if its in you will be evaluated in that round…</p>
<p>How could you possibly switch? Anyhow, it’s not harder to get in REA. While stronger applicants apply early, the acceptance rate is higher (about 12% for REA last year, and much less than that for regular decision, totaling to an avg of about 6% …I’m sure you can find the numbers). If you ask admissions, they say your chances should be the same.</p>
<p>yes, you can still switch…from the stanford website:
Change of Application Plan
If you originally applied under Restrictive Early Action and would like to be considered as a Regular Decision applicant, you must follow these instructions:</p>
<p>Request a change in status by December 1 via email to <a href=“mailto:credentials@stanford.edu”>credentials@stanford.edu</a>. Applicants must confirm that the request has been received to ensure the change has been made.
We cannot honor a request after December 1 and will evaluate your completed file under our Restrictive Early Action plan. Incomplete Restrictive Early Action files will not be converted automatically to Regular Decision; such files will be deemed incomplete/withdrawn and will not be reviewed for admission.</p>
<p>As cubanochico said you can switch but you have to notify admissions by the 1st of December. I mean this is something I have on my mind but it isnt a vital decision…I already submitted the app. I just wanted some feedback…</p>
<p>Does Stanford usually maintain a Waitlist? If so, am I correctly understanding that no SCEA applicants can earn a spot on the Waitlist? If that’s the case I suppose it might be one disadvantage of SCEA.</p>
<p>SCEA would be “waitlisted” to RD (aka deferred). No school has a “waitlist” for early applicants. They are either accepted or deferred to the RD round, where they could possibly be waitlisted.</p>
<p>The only useful reason really for switching from SCEA would be if there are other schools you want to apply early to, as Stanford is restrictive and does not allow you to apply early to other schools.</p>
<p>By getting deferred, you get a 2nd chance… not a bad way to go if not accepted the first time around.</p>
<p>wait… did i miss something here? people have lower chances for stanford REA than RD? since when… and why? do enlighten, plz.</p>
<p>Stanford SCEA applicants who are deferred to the RD round will be either accepted or rejected in that round; they won’t be put on the RD waitlist since they’ve already had two reviews by then. But that isn’t much of a loss, since most years only a very few people get off the Stanford waitlist, and some years, no one does. Stanford also defers fewer students from its SCEA pool to its RD pool than its peer schools, but the odds of a deferred candidate getting accepted from the RD pool are way better than a waitlisted student’s chances of making it in.</p>
<p>Newstand, see my post above. It is not harder to get in SCEA. While the applicant pool is stronger, the acceptance percentage is higher, so it’s essentually the same chances. We were told on a Stanford tour, chances are about the same.</p>
<p>Thanks, @zenkoan! </p>
<p>I’d always assumed “deferred” meant a school felt it needed to see how you performed in another school term (ie grade improvement or the like) but “waitlisted” meant they really want you but just don’t have space. From what you say, “deferred” in Stanford SCEA could mean they’re waiting to see how you stack up against the RD pool.</p>
<p>Correct, MomCares–though it’s also the case that by being deferred, SCEA applicants get that extra school term to “stack up” well against the RD pool. Deferred SCEA applicants sometimes submit additional significant awards and other credentials acquired after the deferral date in an effort to boost their chances in RD.</p>