<p>Before I begin, let me make this clear: My safety school is the University of Arizona. I really, really, really do not want to attend the University of Arizona if at all possible.</p>
<p>Sure the U of A will be there in case im stuck come next april with rejections from all of my reach/match colleges, but that is a situation that I desperately want to avoid. As i finish my standardize tests and wrap up my summer applications, I am beginning to look ahead to the next step in the college admission process: applying. In the fall I will have the opportunity to apply EA/ED to many of my colleges. </p>
<p>With my list basically consisiting of MIT, Caltech, CMU, and Rice, most onlookers will probably suggest that I apply EA to Caltech/MIT and then save CMU/Rice for RD. This seems like a logical choice because it at least gives me a shot at making it into the big name schools, but I am beginning to wonder if it is indeed the best option to take. After browsing through this year's EA threads for MIT/Caltech, I noticed that for the most part, only the truly outstanding candidates were admitted. I myself am not "outstanding" by MIT standards. I have 2200 SATs (granted, 800 math), 4.0 GPA (who doesn't), solid non-acadmic EC's, but no major hooks. I placed top 50 in a state math competition this year, thats it. No USAMO, no AIME, no Intel. </p>
<p>Should i apply EA to MIT/Caltech, it seems very likely that I will be deferred in January and then unfortunatly rejected in March. All the while, my chance to apply ED and get ahead of the game for my "match" schools, CMU/Rice, will have passed me by. Would it not be more beneficial to apply EA to MIT/Caltech and also ED to either CMU or Rice? Sure it would be dissapointing to get into Rice ED and have to turn down MIT EA, but that situation is not nearly as bad as being rejected by MIT/Caltech and then Waitlisted/Rejected by CMU/Rice in the spring, leaving no choice but to place down a deposit at UofA.</p>
<p>I realize the potential drawbacks of applying ED. Being locked into 50k/year for CMU isn't enviable, but that is why if i do go ED it will probably be to Rice (unless i find out if it is possible to receive Financial/Merit aid ED). Disregarding costs, however, because they are not the number one priority, what do you on CC recommend that I do when applying next Fall? Should i go with the standard "apply EA to reach schools because you will always wonder to yourself 'What if?'," or should i also apply ED to a match school to raise my chances of getting in there? </p>
<p>A final option that i could consider is to expand my list of colleges that I apply to, thus increasing my chances of actually getting in to one come RD. Sure, i am also going to apply to stanford, but that doesnt really guarantee anything. Adding more colleges that are not particularly appealing to me seems somewhat self-defeating since that is the situation is exactly what i am trying to avoid with UofA. So... without rambling on much further, what do you think? Is there any strategy for (nearly) guaranteeing at least one admit with the ED process? Any help/advice is appreciated. Thanks!</p>