Should I apply EA Yale or Stanford? ACT or SAT?

shutterthug · August 5, 2009, 3:08pm

Not quite sure where to throw my single choice Early Action
Should i use my ACT, SAT, or both?

Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Chinese
First Generation Immigrant

Location: Within artillery bombardment distance of Stanford
School type: Public
Graduating Year: 2010
Graduating Class Size: 500
Class Rank: School doesn’t rank, but I would be (hopefully) among Top 5 in my class
GPA Unweighted: 3.925
GPA Weighted: 4.400
Junior Year GPA: 4.833

SAT I: 800 Math, 800 CR, 760 Writing (7 on essay FTL)
ACT: 36 Composite, 33 Writing Flawless except for a 7 on the essay. =|
SATII: 800 Math IIc, 800 Chemistry, 800 US History, 780 Physics

APs\Honors Taken:

Frosh: none

Sophomore:
AP Calculus BC - 5
AP Computer Science- 5 on AB
Chem 1H

Junior:
AP Physics C- 5 on Mech, 5 on EM
AP Chem - 5
AP US History - 5
AP French Lang - 4
AP Statistics - 5
American Lit Honors

Projected Senior Classes
AP Econ
AP English Lit
SEC ( Student Executive Council, I’m the treasurer)
Photography- Independent Study, need arts to graduate =[ 
Sophomore MultiVar Calc at Stanford
Sophomore Advanced Physics at Stanford

ECs:
Math Competitions: 7 years, see awards
Science Competitions: 3 years
Scouting: Eagle Scout, 1 year as Senior Patrol Leader (Youth leader)
Tutoring: 3 years paid tutoring math, 2 years volunteer tutoring chem (including 1 year as a TA),
1 year teaching accelerated math class for middle schoolers after school
2 months teaching peer AB Calculus (she’s getting a 5 on practice tests)
Fire Dancing: Poi 3 Years, no public performances AFAIK
Still Life Photography: decent portfolio, no published photos or contest awards
Tennis - 3 years on school team

Awards:
2nd place, 7th, and 9th in Concours National de Francais in 9th, 10th, and 11th grades
3, probably 4 time USAMO Qualifier - (5000 invitees for AIME, 500 for USAMO, 50 for MOSP)
One time MOSP participant
Member of one of the top 3 ARML teams in 2009
2x Physics Olympiad Quarterfinalist
Some odd medals at local and state Science Olympiad events

Employment:
Summer Internship at SunLabs
Summer Internship, and part time job (once school starts) at local high tech research
Paid tutoring

Money by and large used for DSLR equipment

Projected essays:
Photography
Scouting
Possible tutoring

Mythbuster2000 · August 5, 2009, 3:31pm

As for EA, I would simply apply to the one that is more appealing to you. Do you want to stay very close to home or travel to the complete other side of the country? Weather? As a very strong applicant (perhaps your only weakness is ECs), you have a good chance at both whether or not you apply SCEA. Also, I would send both the ACT and SAT as the scores from both tests are very strong. This shows that you can handle both types of tests.

entomom · August 5, 2009, 7:13pm

^^^Agree on both counts; go with whichever school appeals to you the most and definitely send all scores.

peachsnapple · August 5, 2009, 7:53pm

you are getting in anywhere… seriously

i would say that colleges DO look at the essays tho and expository writing is important but you are beast at everything else it shouldn’t matter lol

i personally would apply to stanford because you are within spitting distance of it and being in-state will almost (to me) guarantee your admission

shutterthug · August 5, 2009, 8:56pm

Stanford has actually been pretty mean to mathematicians this last year. Most of my senior friends with equally strong math backgrounds who applied were straight up rejected (11 out of 17, so still a majority)

wjb · August 5, 2009, 9:35pm

You have an outstanding resume, shutterthug. I suspect that Yale would be interested in your achievements in math and science. Also agree that your EA choice will come down to which school has more appeal to you. If you really can’t decide which to apply to, I vote for Yale; it’s good to get out of your neighborhood for college.

Have you visited both campuses? It’s the quintessential sprawling suburban campus vs. the quintessential urban/faux Gothic campus. Also, I don’t know much about Stanford’s dorms, but Yale’s residential college system is a huge attraction. Take a look at this, if you haven’t already done so: [Residential</a> Life | Freshmen | Office of Undergraduate Admissions](<a href=“http://www.yale.edu/admit/freshmen/residential_life/index.html]Residential”>http://www.yale.edu/admit/freshmen/residential_life/index.html)

Send all your scores. They can only help you.

Also, I’m wondering whether your high school is a feeder to Stanford. If it is, you may not need the boost of EA to gain admission there.

jrs1125 · August 5, 2009, 9:42pm

Amazing! At this point, you should really apply early to the school you like better. It seems to me, at least, that you’re better-suited for Stanford, given your interests, extracurriculars, location, etc. Stanford also accepts more people from California than does Yale.

shutterthug · August 6, 2009, 2:17am

I know the Stanford campus better than the back of my hand, unfortunately. I haven’t visited Yale, but I know I prefer Yale’s house system, especially the master’s teas. I’d apply early to Harvard, but they killed that years ago.

My school is a bit of a feeder, but 75% of people who get in have serious legacy.

omega007 · August 6, 2009, 3:04am

Send both ACT and SAT…

Apply to Stanford SCEA…

booyaksha · August 6, 2009, 3:29pm

Ahh… probably a PALY kid. You have good stats but not a lot of leadership.

I am a bit similar: from Palo Alto, app’d only to Y & S (Y SCEA), and chose Y. I CANNOT EXPRESS IN WORDS HOW MUCH I LOVE Y AND I HAVE NEVER HAD SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT MY CHOICE.

Stanford is very very popular amongst local residents, Californians, asians, etc and I have many friends who attended. However, I have a variety of problems with Stanford that many of my friends who attend have strongly confirmed… the main being that Stanford is FAR more of an “athlete school” than most realize, it is a LOT less nakedly intellectual than Yale, the residential college system is a SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED way to arrange a university, and the student body at Stanford is way too divided imo b/w “tech nerds,” “jocks,” etc. Yes, Stanford is better known for sciences and Yale is better known for polisci, but Yale has spent several billion dollars improving their “weaker” programs and the differences now in any of the departments b/w HYPSM – e.g. Yale’s edge in PoliSci/Hist, Stanford’s edge in Bio – are very small, ESPECIALLY at the undergraduate level when only 1/4 of your classes are in your major. Be sure that you choose whichever school you like the culture at the most since so much of your undergrad “education” will come from outside the classroom!

As for choosing b/w Y & S for SCEA, that is your choice and I cannot make it for you.

When I did my college research, I found the advantages of Yale such that I thought it would be the best undergrad education/experience of any college. And, as someone who attends, YALE HAS INCREDIBLY EXCEEDED MY VERY VERY HIGH EXPECTATIONS.

But this ultimately is your choice… go with either Y or S for SCEA and do the other one for RD. And, if you are lucky enough to get into both, go with your heart. I followed my heart, and I am madly in love…

shutterthug · August 6, 2009, 5:17pm

Hehe I won’t respond to the allegations of me being from paly (hisses silently).

I ran the youth end of a Boy Scout Troop for a year, and will be running a few committees on SEC come September, so I’m not worried at all about leadership.

My initial spazz was to apply SCEA to Yale, but if I apply SCEA to and attend Stanford, I can continue my tutoring/teaching/coaching work in the area,

amciw · August 6, 2009, 7:21pm

Yale looks at leadership less than Stanford. On the other hand, Stanford likes Bay Area schools in SCEA. I’d look at which one you want to go to more, and apply there.

booyaksha · August 7, 2009, 9:22am

I strongly disagree with Yale looking at leadership less than Stanford. Rather, I would argue just the opposite: Yale looks at least as much at leadership and that is part of what has made it a “school for presidents.”

Stanford probably likes Bay Area schools in SCEA, but there are also tons of applicants from Bay Area schools in SCEA so it is natural that they will take a lot lot more. Also, Stanford does not look for high SAT scores anywhere near as much as HYPM, but you have high SAT scores anyway so it doesn’t matter.

I don’t mean to insult you (especially as a fellow Scout, fellow Eagle, etc), but running a Boy Scout troop is not a lot of leadership when it comes to said schools. Many many successful applicants were Eagle Scouts, the president of 4 or 5 notable school clubs, student body presidents, student representatives on the local school board, AND lead nationwide campaigns.

wjb · August 7, 2009, 9:49am

Aw c’mon booyaksha. Give the OP a break. He is a compelling candidate: stellar academics and test scores, national achievement in mathematics and physics, an Eagle Scout, and a photographer and fire dancer to boot. Shutterthug, you know there are no guarantees when it comes to HYP. None. But your chances are excellent at every school in the country, including Yale.

booyaksha · August 7, 2009, 10:26am

Sorry if I’m negative. I agree that you have good chances at any school. My only point was that I thought you would be even better off if you had more leadership. You should get in somewhere very good if you apply to several or all of the top schools!

tomorrow · August 7, 2009, 10:37am

D:
How the heck did you do so well on Le Grand Concours?? I hated those exams, ugh…so glad I’m done with French.

You have good stats and should send both the SAT and ACT to Stanford SCEA.

amciw · August 7, 2009, 10:43pm

If you insist. My leadership was a complete joke, though (as in, class council member for two years, with less than 75 total hours - I wasn’t even captain of a sports team), and they didn’t seem to have any hesitation accepting me. I might have been an outlier, of course, but the sense I’ve gotten from the decisions I’ve seen is that Stanford weighs leadership a bit more than HYP. Remember, cultivating leaders (what I interpreted from “education of leaders”) means that Yale desires to instill through its education a sense of leadership in its students. They don’t necessarily need students with abundant leadership activities in high school to achieve this.

ivyalumni · August 8, 2009, 11:20am

The OP says that he knows Stanford really well, has not visited Yale, but likes their residential system.

He is very vague about what else he cares about.

In terms of strategy, I agree that a person with a strong math background might have slightly more of an edge at Yale than Stanford, since Stanford tends on average to attract more math people.

However, the real issue is which place is preferred by the OP. He really needs to clarify his interests more (including considering visiting Yale) before making this choice.

riverrunner · August 8, 2009, 1:04pm

^^strongly agree with ivyalumni about the OP needing to make a visit.

The feel of the campuses and surroundings are so completely different. If you’re considering other Ivies, also without making a visit, you need to take the tour, OP. They are very distinct, something I hadn’t fully grasped until we drove the loop. What better excuse for a fabulous fall leaf tour?

You are such a strong candidate. Don’t let anyone tell you being a scout patrol leader isn’t a leadership challenge. Managing multiple 12 to 14 year-old-boys on a 50 mile back pack gets my respect.

shutterthug · August 8, 2009, 2:56pm

Thanks riverrunner. Among the schools i’m interested in, I’ve visited Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, MIT and most of the UCs. My two favorite campuses were definitely Harvard and Princeton, and I will be visiting Yale in January.

Should I apply EA Yale or Stanford? ACT or SAT?

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