<p>No problem, Onilawliet. These things happen, and I have done the same thing! But, the advice is still the same: Take whatever an admissions officer who hasn’t seen your application/transcript/essays/recommendations says about your chances with a big grain of salt, and make sure you have a safety net. </p>
<p>I know a lot of people think that ED is the way to go if you’re below the school’s average GPA and test scores, but, in my opinion, it really depends on how FAR below you are. ED is really best for those who are either just below the medians (for Reed, that would be 3.9 unweighted, and math/reading scores in the high 1300 range), or just at the medians. In some cases, ED can also work for students who are quite a bit below the medians on ONE of the measures, but Students who are significantly below both medians are usually the ones who end up either rejected on the first go-round or deferred then rejected in the RD round. Not always, of course, but typically. I <em>know</em> the standard thinking is that ED “adds 100 points to your SAT” but, in truth, schools don’t choose students SOLELY on test scores – </p>
<p>So, IF a student has had an upwards trend in their grades, and believes they will do a bang-up job on those first semester grades, and could possibly benefit from an extra try or two on the SAT, I usually discuss the possibility of waiting and applying RD for the most highly selective schools. </p>
<p>But, that’s just my opinion, and I admittedly tend to err on the side of caution more than most people. You really should discuss which strategy might be best for you with your guidance counselor. They are the ones who will be best able to advise you, and tell you which way to go, especially if you attend a private college prep school.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>