I have this dilemma and I cannot decide which school would be a better option to apply ED to. I will call them School 1 and School 2 and I think people can do this without my information.
School 1 is a more prestigious school, selective school and the school I like more. However, it is a reach and it is probable that I would not get accepted unless I were to apply ED. Even with ED, there is a good chance that I will be rejected. It is my absolute number 1 school and has everything I want.
School 2 is still a great school and still selective, but I do not like it as much. It would qualify as a low reach/ high match and again, there is a good chance I would be rejected if I didn’t apply ED. However, with ED, I have a decent shot at being admitted, much better than that of School 1. Lastly, I would not be as happy at School 2 than I would at School 1, but still happy.
Which school would be the better option to apply ED to? School 1 or School 2?
I would not recommend applying ED to a school that is not your absolute top choice.
Also, make sure you can afford your ED school before you apply.
@txstella @happy1 @Qwerty568 Both of the schools are fine financially. I recognize that my ED school should be my number 1 option but is it worth the risk to apply ED and end up getting rejected from both rather than ED my close second pick and get accepted? In this certain situation, it’s more than likely that I will not get into school 1 either way so wouldn’t I just be realistic by applying ED to School 2? Also, there is another school that I am applying ED to so ED2 is not an option.
How much of a reach is school #1? Where do you SAT/ACT scores fall relative to the 25%-75% of the admitted students? And what is the admit rate for school #1?
“Also, there is another school that I am applying ED to so ED2 is not an option.”
What does this mean?
If you are rejected (or deferred) from your ED school you always have the ED2 option at another school.
I’m generally of the opinion that if you have to ask which one you should apply ED, you shouldn’t apply ED. It’s such a binding choice that going for it when you’re not absolutely certain seems like a recipe for disaster.
That being said, if School 1 is really, unquestionably your top choice, then that’s what you should go for. But only if you’re certain that it’s the best fit for you. If you don’t like School 2 as much, then under no circumstances would I advise applying there. You might end up finding another school which you like better than School 2, but if you got in ED, you’d be stuck there. And if you got rejected from your top choice, you’d still be able to apply to your second; you wouldn’t get the chance to apply to your top choice if you got into School 2.
As posed your question is much too abstract. All you’ll get are general answers. Provide us your stats is a complete succinct format and identify the colleges.
@suzy100 @lr4550 I meant that I have already selected the ED2 school, so now I have to decide between the other ED school.
Apply for your dream school as ED, then School 2 as EA, perhaps?
@SpringAwake15 @albert69 Thanks for your input. I guess playing it safe isn’t the right decision here. Although I have not made up my mind, I am leaning towards applying to School 1 ED.
I feel as if I need to release the schools and my basic info.
School 1= BC
School 2= Richmond
Ed2 School is Bucknell.
My stats: 3.56 UW/4
3.85 W/4
Act: 30
Am I on the right track here?
Be very careful not to “waste” your ED application on BC if your stats aren’t right around those of other kids admitted from your school (I’m assuming you have Naviance?).
@GnocchiB That’s what my original thoughts were. I didn’t know if I should apply ED ( well in this case EA- restrictive) to BC with the risk of not getting it rather than apply ED to a school I like slightly less.
It’s a tough nut to crack. On the one hand, you could go for your dream, but on the other hand, maybe being sure you will get into #2 is better than not getting into #1 or #2.
Do you have access to Naviance?
@GnocchiB Yes I do have access.
My DD will be a HS senior and a similar question has come up.
For the past 2 years we have seen kids from her school “waste” their ED applications on total longshots (based on their stats/ECs/hooks) and then regret it because they didn’t chose the “more realistic” ED/EA school. Then when it was all said and done in April, they had to go to a college several places farther down their list and were disappointed.
@GnocchiB Thanks for the advice. I will go check out naviance and see if BC is reasonable or just a dream