<p>My son visited the HYP campus. He loved all three schools. However, he has a deep interest in economics/history/international politics. I personally wanted my kid to apply ED to Princeton based on the facts that Princeton offers a very generous package and gives a bigger boost in admission if someone applied ED. However, he has decided to apply to SCEA Harvard. From an eighteen-year point of view, he thinks he has more opportunity at Harvard (I still have no idea where he gets this notion as many studies suggest that Princeton offers more resources for undergrad admission). In addition, he thinks that applying ED to Princeton he will never know if he was good enough for Harvard. Despite having limited financial resources, he has flourished in an elite prep school. He would apply RD to Princeton so that he may compare the aid packages coming from all other schools. We have met extensively with financial aid people from both schools. They have assured us that we do not have to worry about financial aid. </p>
<p>My thinking is that Harvard is too risky to apply even with stellar stats. Honestly, I have some sleepless night as I am wondering if this much prestige lure of Harvard is worth the agony. Sometime I am wondering how to change my kids mind. However, I do not want to push him to apply ED to Princeton, as it will do immense harm to our relationship. </p>
<p>We are wondering if Princeton will forgive my kid for applying RD as we have heard that applying RD from a prep school is a death sentence. However, time will only tell if his desire to apply SCEA to H will be worth risking a better chance of getting in at Princeton through ED. Anyway, we have to live with the choices we make. Hoping it works out. </p>
<p>He should probably follow his heart on this one. If he is strongly competitive at Princeton he is at least moderately competitive at Harvard. Applicants to either school aren’t chosen in a strict top-down rank order. Indeed, not all colleges agree on how to rank-order the same set of applicants. </p>
<p>He should, of course, also apply to some “safety” schools, especially a state university to which he can submit a rolling admission application soon. </p>
<p>You don’t want your son to live a life of “might have beens”, so I would recommend you let him apply where he wants. Undoubtedly he will be successful wherever he attends, so I think it would be better if he felt he made his own choices.</p>
<p>If you must have a good finaid award to make the whole thing possible, then applying ED ANYWHERE is a bad idea, P’s reputation for generosity nothwithstanding. It he gets into to Princeton ED, but the award doesn’t measure up to what you need, you are stuck in a difficult situation.</p>
<p>Thus, I would recommend that you stick to EA, at Harvard or elsewhere, so that you can compare aid packages. To have one shot and one shot only at making the whole thing financially feasible is just too risky. Plus applying Harvard EA will keep your son happy. I can’t speak for Princeton, but I similarly worried that Stanford would not “forgive” my D for applying RD, but it turned out not to be an issue. </p>
<p>And, BTW, don’t focus all your energies on Harvard and Princeton. Develop a healthy list of matches and safeties as well.</p>
<p>A boy from the top prep school in our town applied EA to Harvard last year and was deferred. He was rejected in the regular round, but was accepted to Princeton, Stanford and Rice and is attending Princeton. Several other kids from the school also got into Princeton RD.</p>
<p>I suspect your son is thinking of the many opportunities at Harvard to hear/meet famous political figures. I just passed by a flyer advertising a visit by Phillys Schafly; there was also an announcement regarding John Edwards’ upcoming visit. Some years ago, students formed lines to hear Gorbachev.</p>
<p>As for selectivity, the two schools are pretty close. The fact that a student who is admitted to Princeton is rejected by Harvard (or vice-versa) is not so much a measure of how hard it is to get into one as opposed to the other; rather, it is an indication that a particular applicant serves the needs of one school better than the other’s in that particular year. But that’s not something that an applicant can divine, hence the apparent crapshoot nature of admissions at both H and P.</p>
<p>We’ve had the same experience as Momofwildchild regarding students deferred by Harvard EA and accepted by Princeton RD. However, it is possible to be good enough to get into Princeton ED but not good enough to get in RD.</p>
<p>Redstar, I don’t mean to sound callous, and apologies to all those who believe the Ivies are unequalled, but what is really important is what will be the quality of the education he will receive at ----(insert name here).</p>
<p>It is well acknowledged that the old saw “the hardest thing about the Ivies is getting in” is true. It was true in '69 when I went to college, and it’s true now. Stop thinking about which is more prestigious or hard to get into and start matching the school to your son. It could mean a world of difference for him.</p>