ED/Limited EA Where?

[italianboarder]

<p>SAT: 2140, 1410
(I expect at least 40-100 additional points in the total, and most likely a 1500)
GPA: 4.8/6.0(Approx a 3.2 on the 4.0 scale)
School: Private Boarding School(Merit Scholarship Student)
8 AP Exams taken by my junior year.
Major: Business/Finance(Business Undergrad isn't a necessity)
Minors(Ideally my minors): Philosophy and Applied Mathematics </p>

<p>GPA NOTE:
To put in in perspective, only around 20-25 kids in my grade(At the most, probably only upper teens) out of 160 have anything above a 5.1. Around 40-60% or 54-96 kids have above a 4.1.
We have a good portion of international students that make up the top 20 slots... I would say my rank is 20/160 or maybe 25/160, but many of those that are above me take weak schedules. I am in the top five for strongest schedule(Only 12 kids take AP Physics(7 juniors), 9 take BC Calc(Only American)).</p>

<p>I have some community service ECs, I'm doing an internship and some community service... I am an avid peer tutor, MUN member, I am starting an economics team at my school as well. I am a member of the math team. I expect strong essays and decent teacher reqs. I have strong analysis and logic skills, and I am a strong writer. </p>

<p>Junior Year Schedule(Most Demanding):
AP Physics
AP BC Calc
APUSH
English
Honors Bio</p>

<p>Senior Year Schedule:
Finance, Marketing and Accounting Independent Study
Engineering(two terms) and Bio Technology
AP Chemistry
AP English
Post Calc</p>

<p>SCHOOL LIST(% that ED acceptance rate is higher than Reg decision rate):</p>

<p>Univ of Chicago(34%-49%=15%)
Columbia Univ(12-16=14%)
Claremont Mckenna(22-32=10%)
Pomona Coll(18-28=10%)
Tufts Univ(27%-32%=5%)</p>

<p>My #1 school choice is either UChicago or Pomona. I'd go to any on the list though.</p>

[italianboarder]

<p>Bring up my post.</p>

[Redroses]

<p>The difference in early acceptance rates correlates with things like percentage of athletes and legacy boost dedication.</p>

<p>Your best shot at assuring one of these schools would be to ED CMC.</p>

[vinceh]

<p>On the surface a 3.2 puts you in a difficult situation at all the schools on your list. Additionally, your SATs are uncomfortably close to the 25th%-tile at all but CMC where they are around the 50th%-tile. </p>

<p>As far as Early Decision, there are plenty of people on these boards who promote the idea that ED dramatically increases your chances of acceptance. I believe that this is true only if you are a statistically "typical" candidate. The few reports that exist detailing ED admissions show that the admitted candidates fit the average (50th%-tile) or better profile. The exceptions to this rule being "hooks", recruited athletes, legacies, URM and developmental cases, (though even in these cases the statistics don't imply that the applicants are dramatically different than the overall pool). That's a long-winded way of saying, I'm not sure ED is going to help you very much. </p>

<p>A great deal will depend upon the school profile that your boarding school submits along with your records. It will put your 3.2 into perspective, explaining how your "low" GPA allows you to still be in the top 15% of your class. I think you have a chance at some of these schools, but I'd encourage you to expand your list to include some statistically safer options.</p>

[italianboarder]

<p>I'm just looking for one that I should apply to ED and where I can do pretty well...</p>

<p>The accepted averages from my school put me between the middle and the top 75% in the SAT for all of the schools.</p>