<p>Female, 1950+ SAT, no fin. aid needed, bio major (this can change)</p>
<p>I think the title says it all, but which should I apply to ED and why?
Any help is appreciated,
Thank you</p>
<p>According to their website, Trinity serves free nachos on Wednesdays. How can you pass that up?</p>
<p>[Trinity</a> University | Welcome](<a href=“http://www.trinity.edu%5DTrinity”>http://www.trinity.edu)</p>
<p>Here’s how your options rank from less selective to more selective (judging selectivity ONLY by admit rates, without accounting for stats):</p>
<ol>
<li>Trinity ED (335 of 493 - 68% - admitted for 2011-12, according to Trinity’s Common Data Set)</li>
<li>Brandeis ED (45% admitted for 2011-12, according to USNWR)</li>
<li>Brandeis RD (40% admitted for 2011-12, according to USNWR)</li>
<li>Trinity RD (30% admitted for 2011-12, according to USNWR)</li>
</ol>
<p>From these numbers alone, it appears that Trinity gives a much bigger boost for checking the ED box. The trouble is, the Common Data Sets (or any other sources as far as I know) do not break out the stats of ED v. RD applicants. So for all we know, Trinity has a much higher ED acceptance rate just because the ED applicants tend to have much better stats (or more “hooks” such as legacy status). Even Brandeis ED admits may have higher average stats than Trinity RD admits.</p>
<p>Recommendation:
Use the ED option only for the one school you’d rather attend than any other realistic alternative. If you can’t make that decision, you’re not ready for Early Decision.</p>
<p>I could be wrong but I don’t think there are many cross applicants between Brandeis and Trinity University. I suspect the OP was referring to Trinity College in Hartford.</p>
<p>Trinity College is a SLAC. Brandeis is a small research university with an emphasis on liberal arts. Brandeis has a considerably more diverse student body than Trinity (although about half of the undergraduates at Brandeis are Jewish). Both are good schools with good academic reputations. Brandeis’ faculty is somewhat more distinguished (i.e., given a choice, I suspect that 9 out 10 faculty members would choose to work at Brandeis over Trinity). Trinity has a reputation of being rather preppy, while Brandeis students have the reputation of being more avant garde. There is certainly more research going on at Brandeis than Trinity.</p>
<p>I suspect that most students would much prefer Brandeis’ location over Trinity. Brandeis is just 9 miles west of the center of Boston and, since Brandeis is on a hill, the Boston skyline is readily visable. Brandeis has its own commuter rail stop so going to Boston is easy. Trinity is right in Harford but that is not an advantage. Trinity has a beautiful Gothic campus but it borders a very sketchy Hartford neighborhood and, let’s face it, Hartford is no Boston.</p>
<p>You should apply ED to the school you want to attend above all others. If you are still undecided between these schools then I suggest that you try to visit them both once again – see if you can arrange to spend a day with a student (where you can attend class, meet a number of people, eat in the cafeteria etc.). My D did this with her top two choices in the early fall and after that she knew with certainty which school she wanted to apply to ED. </p>
<p>In the meantime, consider the differences between the schools in terms of things like size, location, student body and think about if one stands out.</p>
<p>Thanks all! Visiting each with a student is a good suggestion, and the stats are interesting. And yes, I’m referring to Trinity College in Hartford</p>
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<p>Then no free nachos on Wednesdays for you! Seriously though, Brandeis is a great school.</p>
<p>p.s. Full disclosure: my DD will be applying to Brandeis as well, but not ED. Good luck.</p>
<p>Hartford not all bad. It is the state capital which gives Trinity students the opportunity to participate in amazing internships in government, hospitals, finance, etc.</p>