Reply to What do you wish you knew about the college process before starting high school ?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Do ED and ED2. effectively [/quote]

Note that even this is changing.....most kids we know at strong schools were only accepted ED1 to a top 25 if they had a hook. Even super strong top of the class students applying ED to a 20-25 range school. And even the HYPS legacies had a double hook.

I think schools (even some in top 40 range) are pushing back on the grab the full pay ED1s. I don't have a problem with this but it's a shift that's being felt by really strong students who thought they were using ED1 effectively. (Hopefully some of those deferrals come back as acceptances, because the school does still know the student used ED there). [/quote]

This is not a change in the utility of ED - it is a change in the competitiveness of the top schools. They are now a lottery. Only unicorns get in via ED at the T25. It's a waste to use ED on a Powerball number. Spend it somewhere that it counts.[/quote]

But this is true if you happen to have a unicorn child - then, yes, go REA or sCEA for Princeton but expect it won't work out.  That's what DC did and she got soft rejections from Princeton and 3 Ivies.  But she wanted to try.  She got in a lot of publics via EA (allowed under REA) and found her dream school that way.  However, she did NOT get in her to her RD picks nor did her friends.  So the advice I have for OP is to realize that [b] RD works only for some folks so think out REA, sCEA, ED, EA well. [/b] Don't count on Rd for anything[/quote]

My kid is a sophomore, and this string of acronyms alone is giving me anxiety! I have no idea what any of them actually mean.

This board really needs a pinned post for all these acronyms and shorthand terms. [/quote]

They are just different types of early applications.  EA means no restrictions. SCEA and REA are restricted early, meaning you can't apply early to other private schools.  ED is binding,  meaning if they accept you, you have to pull apps elsewhere and commit. FWIW,  mine had the opposite experience of PP. Rejected SCEA but in several Ivies/T15 in RD (regular admissions cycle). There is no one size fits all advice when it comes to timing apps. RD may allow more time to accrue honors/awards. It did for mine and made a difference.

For parents of sophomores, course rigor is important (as long as kid has some interest and won't drown under the load). 3+ years of same language in HS. I'd encourage the kid to identify 1 or 2 activities to pursue with some vigor, ideally with something to show for it down the road-- leadership,  awards, portfolio material. Schools want to see passion and commitment that doesn't start end of jr year! Also, find 1 org to regularly volunteer with. I would also suggest sample testing ACT  and SAT at end of soph year. Pick the one you like better, buy a prep book and sign up for the Aug/Sep test. It is so good to have that out of the way![/quote]

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