<p>OP, while you’re waiting to hear from ChancingFanatic, I will opine that it will be pretty hard for you to be accepted at Stanford as an on-the-edge applicant in either pool (early or regular decision). You may get a bit of a boost at any of these schools because you come from a typically-underrepresented state, and you have a good story to tell in your essays about having worked to overcome your illness. However, all of these schools are extremely hard to get into, as you know. I do think you should apply to as many of the schools you listed as you are interested in, but there should be others on your list as well. With respect to your specific question about Stanford early action vs. Brown ED, I would only go with Brown ED if you are completely certain you’d be happy to end your application process there and not wonder “what if?” forever after. ED is binding, and the only way to escape it is if the college doesn’t make it financially possible for you to attend.</p>