<p>Option 1: Restrictive EA to Yale
Option 2: Restrictive EA to Harvard
Option 3: EA to Bentley, UChicago, Fairfield, Providence, Villanova</p>
<p>I have a 2130 SAT, 4.0 GPA, strong essays, decent ECs but nothing jaw dropping, and a class rank of 1 out of 300 at a decent publich HS in CT. I want to go to Yale, but also would like a bit of good news in December as I am not expecting on getting in, but will definitely get in (and hopefully with some scholarships) to some of the safety schools I could apply EA to. (no I am not considering UChicago a safety by any stretch of the imagination lol)</p>
<p>This is a decision that only you can make. It sounds like you can drop Option 2 off the list, since it doesn’t sound like you would prefer Harvard over Yale. Based on how you describe your qualifications, you will likely be deferred by Yale in their SCEA (check with your GC and Naviance to confirm this).</p>
<p>So, in my mind, your decision is whether it is more important for you to receive good news in December or have a slightly increased chance with Yale. You are highly likely to gain admission to Fairfield, Providence and Villanova so you will be getting good news at some point, whether December or March. On the other hand, Yale states that there is no discernable advantage to applying early (although conventional wisdom disputes this assertion).</p>
<p>Thus, your decision won’t make a huge difference either way. If the security of a December admission is important, go that route. If you are more adventurous and want to take a chance, go the Yale SCEA route. You should be well prepared either way. Congratulations on having multiple good options available.</p>