<p>My sense is that you’re over thinking the application process. Trust your GC. Apply EA to Yale. Your counselor no doubt has contacts in admissions at Yale. And just move on. </p>
<p>Think about the different scenarios:</p>
<p>You apply to Yale ED, and get in
You apply to Yale ED, and do get in
You don’t apply to Yale, and apply to other choice</p>
<p>Would you wonder if you could have gotten in?
Would you rather the other choice even if you didn’t get in?
Would you be sad you “wasted your chance”?</p>
<p>*I know it really isn’t ED</p>
<p>Not sure if you don’t know this, but you can apply to Yale single-choice early action and apply to PUBLIC universities early action. This includes great schools like UVA, Michigan, etc. That’s what I’m doing for Harvard, and it feels way less scary.</p>
<p>Check up on this for Yale, but you can do this for Harvard which is why I’m assuming the rule is the same.</p>
<p>^ doing same thing as @Melissawilliams (except I’m applying REA to Stanford) and I totally agree - I think applying to one really selective school SCEA/REA, your state school as a safety and a few other public schools you feel comfortable with is the way to go. It doesn’t feel as much like you’re betting the house on a school with a 5% acceptance rate (well, 7% or so, with the REA bump 
)</p>
<p>I got in! Nobody is probably interested, but I just wanted to let anyone out there reading this thread that there is always a chance, no matter how slim, if you allow yourself to take it.</p>
<p>I’m going to be honest- it takes a certain degree of neuroticism to be a good student. However, don’t beat yourself up about failing to achieve perfection. When colleges say that they want to see that you’re able to do the work, they mean it. You don’t necessarily need to be a genius/valedictorian, as I am definitely not!</p>
<p>Good luck, future applicants! </p>
<p>congratulations @chocolatepanacea (great name btw)</p>
<p>Congratulations!! :)</p>