<p>This fall, I will be applying SCEA to Yale. I have a problem, however, in that two of my close friends will also most likely be applying SCEA to Yale, and we all are very similar applicants. We come from the same relatively competitive public high school in California, we all have 2300+ SATs, we are all of undesirable ethnicities (white or Chinese), we all have taken similar classes with similar results, and most importantly, we all are involved in many of the same activities. One of the boys, in particular, not only works on the school paper with me, but is also a teammate of mine on a rather obscure sports team (I won’t mention what sport it is to conceal my identity :P).</p>
<p>Although all three of us are solid applicants, I am worried that our similarities in location and personal effects will hinder our individual chances for acceptance to Yale. What I mean is that I would be highly surprised if none of us got in (you will have to trust me on this one, but we are all extremely well qualified candidates), but do I have reason to worry that only one of us would get in because of our various commonalities? Is this a legitimate concern or not? Furthermore, although by no means do I compare unfavorably to either boy, and may actually have a leg up in activities and scores (I am shooting for the 2400 this fall!), is there anything I can do to really set myself apart from them in the admission process?</p>
<p>The truth is, it probably doesn’t matter either way. Chances are only 1 in 3 of you will get in anyway. If your friend gets in and you don’t, it probably had nothing to do with a specific quota. Then again, if all three of you have incredible credentials theres no reason why all three of you couldn’t get in.</p>
<p>I think you raise a good question…and I really don’t know what you could do to set yourself apart. I’d say visit, but Yale doesn’t care. Try and convince them not to apply SCEA? Lol.</p>
<p>That’s assuming he’ll be the second most qualified candidate to be deferred EA round if his friends apply. In that case, he’s probably going to get in RD round anyway.</p>
<p>Essays I have to work on… I have gone through high school thus far without the help of any tutors or councellors, and I hope to keep it that way, but I know the essays are what will set me apart from the other two candidates, and thus they are very important.</p>
<p>Sadly I really don’t have any particularly clever topic ideas yet, either.</p>
<p>Each applicant is viewed as an individual, and while Yale might compare you to your friends if you all have amazing credentials there should be no reason for them to reject you. With that said I have to mention that three of my friends from my high school were accepted into MIT during SCEA, so of course it’s possible. Although one went to USAMO four times, the other won an international essay contest, and the third was published multiple times in national journals for her research in bacteria. Write that amazing essay, and whoever wants it badly enough will certainly surpass the rest.</p>
<p>We all REALLY want Yale, or at least I do. I was blown away by the campus tour and my tourguide <3. The school is amazing. I am not going to die if I don’t get in, but maybe I can do some negotiating between the other two and see if I can get them to apply RD :D.</p>
<p>I agree with this ^^ 200%. Talk amongst yourselves and devise a plan to split up. If yale is really your thing, tell your friends that Harvard is also a fine school :).</p>
<p>Remember to not burn your ED/SCEA card for nothing !!!</p>
<p>I guess I can try. One of my friends is still really into Stanford, and the other has a very eccentric taste when it comes to colleges, so maybe we will end up splitting up. They are both great guys and good friends, but I am not sure I’d want to go to college with them, anyway… One of the things that attracted me to Yale in the first place was that it was incredibly hard to get into, meaning that a maximum of 1-2 (most likely 0 :D) other kids from my school would be able to go with me assuming I got in.</p>
<p>Don’t make your friends go to a different school if they love yale! what kind of friend would you be!!!</p>
<p>What sport is it exactly? If it’s really rare and you’re really good, i don’t see why yale wouldn’t want all three of you. If yale doesn’t already have it, convince them that you’ll “make yale a better place” by starting it as a club sport. If you’re really concerned about posting it, PM me, because I’m curious now.</p>
<p>By all means don’t make your friends not apply. Chances are only 1 in 3 would get in anyway. If only one applied, chances are against anyone getting in. If you really love Yale, make sure Yale knows it and put as much effort as you can into the application. That will have a lot more impact. An extra hour spent on the application will make all the difference sometimes. I suggest all 3 of you pick 3 or 4 awesome schools you’d love. That way, the odds are good that everyone will end up happy.</p>
<p>OK, once is now planning on applying to Columbia early. The other is still up in the air, but he’s debating between Yale and Stanford. I am still staunchly in favor of Yale :D.</p>
<p>Good luck to the rest of you this fall, and haukim, you can bet my application will be super-sparkly. I may even start weaving together some beautiful essays this summer.</p>