Question about Stanford SCEA

[gladmom]

<p>The biggest advantage is if Stanford is your first choice, and if you apply Single Choice Early Action, then you will know by mid-December if you have gotten in or not (unless your application is deferred to regular decision). </p>

<p>The percent of admitted kids who apply SCEA is higher than those who apply ED, so there may be an advantage there. </p>

<p>Another advantage is that if you are admitted SCEA, it is not binding, that is, you don’t have to go to Stanford. You have until May 1 to make your final decision.</p>

<p>A disadvantage is that you cannot apply early at some other schools. Following is Stanford’s policy on where you CAN apply early from their website. You would not be allowed to apply to any other type of early decision program.</p>

<p>

Students applying to Stanford’s Restrictive/Single-Choice Early Action program may apply to:</p>

<p>Any institution, public or private, under a non-binding Rolling Admission option;
Public institutions under a non-binding Early Action program;
Foreign colleges/universities on any application schedule;
Institutions whose early application deadlines are a requirement for consideration for special academic programs or scholarships only if the notification of admission occurs after January 1; and to
Institutions under an Interim Decision program only if the notification of admission occurs after January 1.</p>

<p>Candidates who apply early to Stanford are asked to sign a statement on the Stanford Supplement to the Common Application (after consulting with their parents and their guidance counselor) agreeing to file only one early application.

</p>

<p>However, if Stanford is your first choice, then not being able to apply early elsewhere isn’t necessarily a problem.</p>