Should I apply SCEA or RD? (an interesting situation, need advice)

Applying to College
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<p>Hi guys, I have a dilemma that hopefully you guys can help me with.</p>

<p>I’m writing the post below in regards to Yale SCEA, but I have a sneaking suspicion that more people here in this subforum can answer this question than those at the Yale SCEA subforum. </p>

<p>As you can probably tell from my username, I’m an avid photographer. I’ve gotten some national and international recognition for my work, including from a certain well-known NGO (trying to keep details out of this) that will be taking me on an (all expenses paid) trip to a certain impoverished country in Africa for around 2 weeks. I’ll be doing photojournalism type stuff for them so they can document their work.</p>

<p>This trip is taking place during the first two weeks of November.</p>

<p>From what I know, the SCEA deadline is November 1st (or somewhere near there). This means that I can’t submit the photos I’ve taken in Africa as part of a supplement. I’m not even sure if I can include it in my app if I apply SCEA. In my opinion, it’d sound a bit weird if I said I’d visit Africa in the future. People always say to talk about things you’ve done, not things you plan on doing.</p>

<p>I definitely have an arts supplement portfolio I can submit without photos from Africa, but I think it might be a little stronger if I can have some photojournalism abroad work.</p>

<p>My stats are within the range of SCEA, and I’m not going to be re-taking any exams during the fall. I also don’t have an upward trend I need to show adcoms - 4.0 UW all 3 years thus far, so it can only stay the same or go down from there - so I don’t need to postpone my application for that.</p>

<p>What do you guys think? Should I wait and apply RD so I can include my work in Africa, or is it inconsequential enough that it shouldn’t make a difference?</p>

<p>Let me know if you guys need other details, and sorry about making you guys read this long thread. Yale is definitely my top choice, due to its strong arts culture and strength in economics (my intended major), and I would be honored to be able to be a part of the class of '15 at Yale.</p>

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<p>I assume you’re going to be talking about photography in your essays, so mention that you’re going on the trip, since it sounds like this is a huge honor. Submit a portfolio of previous work by the deadline, but in the “Additional Information” section, state that you will supplement this portfolio with your work in Africa. </p>

<p>Yale accepts November SAT scores for SCEA, so I assume that they would (probably) consider your Africa photos PROVIDED you can get them there by mid-November, when SAT scores usually arrive.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the input.</p>

<p>I was thinking about that option, but are you sure they’d have enough time to look at it before making a decision? Considering how they only have 1.5 months to review SCEA applicants, I’d think they power through those pretty quickly. I guess my concern is if they already reviewed my file and threw it out before I got back and gave them my supplement D:</p>

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<p>I suggest applying SCEA if Yale is your first choice. You already must have an excellent portfolio, so you can submit that. You can mention the upcoming honor, which is a big deal, since an NGO was so impressed by your work that they’re sending you to Africa. You also could ask a representative from the NGO for a letter of recommendation explaining the honor. You could include that with your application.</p>

<p>I don’t suggest waiting and applying RD. I don’t think it’s that important that your portfolio contain pictures of Africa. What’s important about your Africa experience is that you were awarded a free trip due to the strength of your photography. Lots of well off students travel abroad and may submit photography portfolios showing their trips. Just going to Africa isn’t something that would impress admissions officers. The reason for your trip could, and that reason is what you can include in your SCEA app</p>

<p>I imagine that Yale gets a relatively small number of applicants with documented impressive strengths and interests in art, so that also will make you stand out. I also imagine that many students with your kind of interests who have the stats for Ivies would be considering Brown since they could cross register at Rhode Island School of Design. I’m curious about whether you’d considered that option.</p>

5

<p>Hey Northstarmom,</p>

<p>Thanks for the advice. I’m not too sure about asking the NGO for a letter of rec though; my correspondence with them has only been limited to email. I was supposed to meet some organization reps and have an awards ceremony in Cannes, France (also all expenses paid) but thanks to the Icelandic volcano all flights were canceled & I had no way of getting there. Perhaps I can get one after the trip, for other schools on my list? :P</p>

<p>I’ve actually never given serious thought about attending Brown. I’ll research the school and see if I like it. Thanks again for the suggestion.</p>