My son goes to an extremely rigorous college prep independent high school. GPA 3.97, wGPA 4.3, SAT 1560. Strong EC’s, leadership, Honors classes (his school has no AP’s), interest in the arts – playwriting, music composition, art history, plus environmental sciences, dive team, and long term involvement in outside activities, plus awards and achievements. Because of the elite, competitive nature of his school, according to his dean, his stats place him in the lower half of students from his school applying to Yale, whereas he is near the top of students from his class applying to Brown. If he shoots high, EA’s to Yale and doesn’t get in, he’d lose his chance to ED Brown, where he has a significantly higher chance of admittance (also has legacy at Brown). The only student from his school with similar, even slightly lower stats, that got into Yale in recent years, was a student who had a distinction-- playing Viola - he auditioned for a music prof at Yale, which set him apart. All others admitted had a 4.4 wGPA or higher. What to do? Would love advice ASAP as the ED deadline is fast approaching! TIA
Does he have a clear preference order of Yale, Brown, and other colleges the he intends to apply to?
What do the college counselors at that high school say about his likelihood of admission at each college? At the high school described, they should have a good idea.
I would recommend applying ED to Brown. The ED admit rate of ≈ 16% is four times higher than the RD admit rate of ≈ 4%. Legacies make up 8-10% of each undergraduate class. Your son can always attend Yale later for graduate or professional school.
Yale also posts this official “No advantage” statement at the admissions webpage.
He would love to go to Yale. Brown didn’t excite him quite as much, but he believes he’d still be happy there. His school college counselor didn’t say yes or no. Just said no one with his scores has been admitted in recent years unless with special circumstances/distinctions.
Q: Do you know the RW/Math section breakdown?
This is your answer. Your son will be evaluated in the context of his school so if his counselor is saying this, I would listen.
If your son isn’t sold on Brown, he doesn’t need to ED.
780/780
Does your son like any other schools besides Yale? (e.g. any other Ivys).
Rice University uses a residential college system modeled after the collegiate systems of Oxford, Cambridge, and Yale. Rice is a good alternative to consider if this is something your son is seeking.
I can’t imagine a 4.3 vs a 4.4 is making the meaningful difference at this level (and WGPA is meaningless outside one’s own school - each school has WILDLY different scales) A 4.3 is pretty mid at our local public school -ivy caliber is 4.9-5.0..My kids private has no weighting on the other hand!
Anyway a 3.97/1560 is objectively qualified assuming high rigor and solid course selection including high levels of math, etc. I think at this level, recommendations, essays, ECs and such would make more of a difference… Also, are other kids from the school applying as from a CS or engineering background vs. your more artsy kid etc? This can matter (even though they don’t admit by major, they will be viewed differently, etc.).
Anyway, if your kid will always regret not going to for Yale, than obviously they should try for it… That said, assuming you trust your counselor, it does sound like they have a better shot at Brown, especially given legacy status. However, if they don’t love love Brown, than they shouldn’t ED IMO.
Rice hasn’t come up in our search, but good to know - we will look into it!
This certainly could be true… If this counselor has been there a bit and is experienced, and is known trustworthy, then I would take that seriously.
What part of Yale did they love so much? Brown is fantastic too, of course.
He loved the theater program, art museum, music department, campus, proximity to ny (close to family). But I’ve been told theater/playwriting is stronger at Brown for undergrad, so there’s that-- and he’s def drawn to Brown’s open curriculum.
Brown also posts a “no advantage for ED” message.
ETA: However, a legacy applicant (like other hooked applicants) might have a slight advantage in ED over RD. At some schools, legacy+ED commitment could give candidates an edge they wouldn’t have in the RD round.
Brown University does, however, maintain legacy preferences in its undergraduate admissions process.
I’m not sure if May_Flowers is looking to initiate a discussion about budget on this thread. She does indicate a willingness to search out additional options, possibly ones that offer merit grants & scholarships, such as Rice, one school I suggested.