<p>I've posted on this before, but I'm deciding between applying to Yale and Stanford early. I was leaning slightly towards Yale on this but I noticed a difference between the two different programs: Stanford lets you apply to a public school in your home state early (as long as it's non-binding) and any schools with rolling admission, while Yale lets you apply only to public schools with rolling admission.</p>
<p>A little weirdly, this fact is becoming the deciding factor in my choosing Stanford over Yale for SCEA, because if I apply to Stanford I can also apply to UIllinois early (that is, during the "Priority Filing Period"). From what I can tell, I could not this if I applied to Yale SCEA. I say this is weird because I'm really pretty sure that I'll be able to get in to UofI even if I apply regular decision; I just think the peace of mind I'd get from knowing that I got in would do me a lot of good in the wait for all my RD decisions. That is, my UofI application doen't need the little boost that applying early might give it, but I think getting in early would help assuage the anxiety that I'm sure will build up while I wait for the end of March.</p>
<p>So my questions for everybody: Am I interpreting Yale's rules correctly? Is it stupid to give up SCEA at Yale just so I get a little help getting into my "ideal safety"? Does applying SCEA at Yale and Stanford really do you any good (I know this question has been hashed out to ridiculous lengths on this forum, but I want to hear what you have to think)? Also, does it make sense to prefer Stanford to Yale, even though I'm a humanities person, because of weather/location, which would let me to hike and cycle more? I also think I'd prefer the quarter system because it would let me take a wide variety of courses, does the quarter system translate into a much more intense workload?</p>
<p>I'm sorry for going on so much and asking to many questions, but I'm just conflicted and curious :)</p>
<p>The quarter system there is a pretty breakneck pace. My GF attended and she always seemed stressed (but Cardinal students excelled at appearing laid back). I absolutely loved the semester system at Yale – and I certainly took a ton of classes.</p>
<p>The weather is incredible however (I spent summer btn Jr-Sr year in Palo Alto). Where a school is located is a legit reason to rank one above the other. In the end, I liked the closer feel of Y over S. Stanford’s sprawling campus and Yale’s residential college system made Yale’s social aspect head and shoulders above Stanford, IMHO.</p>
<p>Regarding UofI, you should give Yale admissions a call and just ask. That might be OK for all you know.</p>
<p>I think you’re misreading the Yale SCEA rules. UIUC is a public school with rolling admissions, and you can submit concurrent applications to Yale SCEA and UIUC. From the FAQ portion of the Yale Admissions website:</p>
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<p>U of Illinois definitely fell into the rolling category discussed in the FAQ last year. You can double-check it with Yale, but I’m virtually certain you’re fine with an SCEA application to Yale and a concurrent application to UIUC.</p>
<p>So, am I getting this right? Maryland has a new policy where if you turn in your application by November they will notify you by January and you have until May 1 to decide. They’re not calling it any sort of early anything…not even rolling decision, more like first come first serve (i.e. send in your app early and they’ll read it early). Would THAT be something one could apply through while applying SCEA to Yale?</p>
<p>Is Maryland saying it will accept applicants as their applications come in, or is it saying it will wait until all applications are in in order to compare them to each other? From your description, it sounds like the new policy is the former. If that’s the case, then it’s rolling. </p>
<p>If you want to be sure, send Yale a copy of Maryland’s new policy and ask them to verify that it’s a rolling admissions policy for SCEA purposes. Better still, if possible, ask your high school GC or college counseling office to make the contact.</p>
<p>Well, they don’t officially call it rolling, which was why I was confused. </p>
<p>I’ll e-mail them, but here is the policy in case anyone has their own idea:</p>
<p>THE NEW 2010 APPLICATION IS NOW AVAILABLE!</p>
<p>If you are applying as a freshman applicant, remember to submit your application by our NEW Priority Application Deadline of November 1, 2009.</p>
<p>Applying by this deadline ensures you will receive best consideration for admission as well as for merit-based scholarships and invitations to special programs. Please note that in order to qualify for this priority consideration your entire application and all additional materials must be submitted by November 1.</p>
<p>i.b.r – I agree the description is murky. Before e-mailing Yale, I’d e-mail Maryland to clarify whether they’re accepting applicants as applications come in.</p>
<p>As I read the Yale policy, the Maryland program is unambiguously OK. It is not a binding decision, and you have until May 1 to accept. It is merely a public university’s early notification program for people who apply early – there’s no substantive difference between that and rolling admissions. You can ask, but I would be shocked if Yale has any concern at all about early applications to Maryland or Illinois.</p>
<p>It probably helps to focus on what Yale cares about. Yale does not want to prevent anyone from applying to their in-state public in the most effective manner possible (other than binding ED). Yale doesn’t much care about out-of-state publics, either. As a practical matter, there are only three or four of them that seriously appeal to Yale’s national applicant base, and only one of those (Michigan) ever accepts people before January. Yale does not want anyone to miss scholarship eligibility deadlines. Yale is fine with ED II applications, because you have time to withdraw them if Yale accepts you, and you will withdraw your Yale application if you are deferred by Yale and accepted by the ED II school. </p>
<p>What Yale doesn’t want is for you to apply regular ED someplace else, so that Yale could accept you but you would be obligated to go elsewhere. Yale also doesn’t want you applying to (roughly) peer institutions EA simultaneously with your Yale SCEA application – so ixnay on MIT, Chicago, Cal Tech, Georgetown, etc. (and of course Stanford).</p>