I know ED has a higher rate of acceptance, so I want to take advantage of that, but I’m conflicted on which school to apply early to. My top 2 are Northwestern and UPenn, and I really like both of them. I am a legacy for Penn, so my chances of admission for both are sort of even. I’m a senior, so I have to make this decision soon. What are these 2 schools really like and how are they different?
Be aware that if you don’t ED to Penn that your legacy boost is basically nullified.
Have you visited both schools? What do you like about them specifically?
I have visited both schools. I like the culture of people being smart and passionate about school but also having a life outside of school. I’m in marching band, and I want to continue that in college. The bands at NU and Penn are very different but both have a strong community feel that I like. I’m also undecided on my major and both places seem like I could explore multiple options to find something I really like.
ED is only a higer admit rate for kids who are supremely qualified, meet all the college’s expectations. No tip just for applying early (except the legacy angle at Penn.) Have you matched yourself to what they look for?
ED to whichever school you would prefer to attend.
I don’t know which one I would rather go to. I’m trying to figure that out…
I believe that students can do very well at multiple colleges so if you don’t have a strong preference for one over the other, I would use the legacy card to your advantage. One thing you might ask your parents are “how involved have they been at Penn since they graduated?” As mentioned in another thread, legacy might not be a significant tip if they have not been involved (e.g. money, time, etc).
With that said, have you done your research on what each college is looking for in an applicant? Maybe your background and ECs are more suited for one college over the other (i.e. a better fit). For example, Penn might be more pre-professional and more competitive than Northwestern? Is school spirit and big time D1 sports important to you, maybe Northwestern might be a better fit?
I like reading what students say about their college. Niche and other sites have 100’s of surveys completed by current and former students and reading their comments, you will start getting a flavor of the type of culture of each college. At the end of the day, you need to do your “due diligence”. Good luck!
One of the big differences between these two schools is the quarter vs semester system. If you are undecided, the quarter system will allow you to take more courses over the course of a year. One of the things that NU drives home is the ability for students to double major and have many minors.
I’d also suggest reading the student papers as you can get a better sense of the student vibe.
IMO though, if you aren’t sure, you shouldn’t ED.