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Unless you get into CCN, take a year off and reapply next Sept. You really shouldn't settle for anything less than CCN, and should give yourself a decent chance at H by applying early...

starstruck393 wrote:Unless you get into CCN, take a year off and reapply next Sept. You really shouldn't settle for anything less than CCN, and should give yourself a decent chance at H by applying early...

Does applying early make THAT much of a difference? NYU's site says, "...applications received by the Feb 1st deadline will be at no competitive disadvantage in comparison to applications received earlier..." although I am not sure how much I agree with that statement.

CG614 wrote:

starstruck393 wrote:Unless you get into CCN, take a year off and reapply next Sept. You really shouldn't settle for anything less than CCN, and should give yourself a decent chance at H by applying early...

Does applying early make THAT much of a difference? NYU's site says, "...applications received by the Feb 1st deadline will be at no competitive disadvantage in comparison to applications received earlier..." although I am not sure how much I agree with that statement.

This may be true, and if it is, I would bank on it only being so for NYU.

NYU has the largest acceptance rate of HYSCCN.

CG614 wrote:

starstruck393 wrote:Unless you get into CCN, take a year off and reapply next Sept. You really shouldn't settle for anything less than CCN, and should give yourself a decent chance at H by applying early...

Does applying early make THAT much of a difference? NYU's site says, "...applications received by the Feb 1st deadline will be at no competitive disadvantage in comparison to applications received earlier..." although I am not sure how much I agree with that statement.

Yes (they lie). It may be the case that those schools would make room for you with your late application, but it's also entirely conceivable that the "URM quota" so to speak has been used up. Schools have spots open for applicants with numbers below their ranges, which typically includes URMs and applicants with really good softs. But the number of these spots are limited, since the schools don't want to drop their numbers. URM's have the best chance of admission to schools that they're not otherwise numerically competitive at by applying early, while there are still spots open for them to get. You getting completely shut out of the T14 wouldn't surprise me with how late your application is. Yale is probably the only school where an app that late has only a minorly diminished chance, but I think your GPA is too low to have a realistic shot there...

starstruck393 wrote:

CG614 wrote:

starstruck393 wrote:Unless you get into CCN, take a year off and reapply next Sept. You really shouldn't settle for anything less than CCN, and should give yourself a decent chance at H by applying early...

Does applying early make THAT much of a difference? NYU's site says, "...applications received by the Feb 1st deadline will be at no competitive disadvantage in comparison to applications received earlier..." although I am not sure how much I agree with that statement.

Yes (they lie). It may be the case that those schools would make room for you with your late application, but it's also entirely conceivable that the "URM quota" so to speak has been used up. Schools have spots open for applicants with numbers below their ranges, which typically includes URMs and applicants with really good softs. But the number of these spots are limited, since the schools don't want to drop their numbers. URM's have the best chance of admission to schools that they're not otherwise numerically competitive at by applying early, while there are still spots open for them to get. You getting completely shut out of the T14 wouldn't surprise me with how late your application is. Yale is probably the only school where an app that late has only a minorly diminished chance, but I think your GPA is too low to have a realistic shot there...

Thanks for the candid advice! But wouldn't going to say UVA (if I were to get in) and transferring be an option too? I guess that I am not sure how a transfer applicant stacks up against a first year applicant that had previously applied. NYU is my #1 choice.

CG614 wrote:

starstruck393 wrote:

CG614 wrote:

starstruck393 wrote:Unless you get into CCN, take a year off and reapply next Sept. You really shouldn't settle for anything less than CCN, and should give yourself a decent chance at H by applying early...

Does applying early make THAT much of a difference? NYU's site says, "...applications received by the Feb 1st deadline will be at no competitive disadvantage in comparison to applications received earlier..." although I am not sure how much I agree with that statement.

Yes (they lie). It may be the case that those schools would make room for you with your late application, but it's also entirely conceivable that the "URM quota" so to speak has been used up. Schools have spots open for applicants with numbers below their ranges, which typically includes URMs and applicants with really good softs. But the number of these spots are limited, since the schools don't want to drop their numbers. URM's have the best chance of admission to schools that they're not otherwise numerically competitive at by applying early, while there are still spots open for them to get. You getting completely shut out of the T14 wouldn't surprise me with how late your application is. Yale is probably the only school where an app that late has only a minorly diminished chance, but I think your GPA is too low to have a realistic shot there...

Thanks for the candid advice! But wouldn't going to say UVA (if I were to get in) and transferring be an option too? I guess that I am not sure how a transfer applicant stacks up against a first year applicant that had previously applied. NYU is my #1 choice.

You can't count on a transfer. 1 bad grade could essentially end your chances. And frankly, like I said, you can't even count on getting into UVA by applying this late. You may be able to, but you never know. Unless you'd be happy graduating from UVA (assuming you get in) knowing that you could have had CCN and maybe even H (with possible shots in the dark at YS), I would take the year off if you strike out from the T6...

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CG614 wrote:

starstruck393 wrote: You can't count on a transfer. 1 bad grade could essentially end your chances. And frankly, like I said, you can't even count on getting into UVA by applying this late. You may be able to, but you never know. Unless you'd be happy graduating from UVA (assuming you get in) knowing that you could have had CCN and maybe even H (with possible shots in the dark at YS), I would take the year off if you strike out from the T6...

So, I was thinking about this, and if there truly is this "quota" of URMs at each school, don't you think that the top schools will accept pretty much the same pool of URMs. Therefore, when the URMs make their decisions, the schools they don't choose must try to fill this quota with other URMs. So, in that situation, I would be in a good position after the decisions are made in the beginning of April. Now, I am not saying I agree 100% with your logic, but just playing devil's advocate. Either way, I doubtlessly agree that the earlier I would have applied, the better off I would have been. Hopefully my softs make me a strong enough applicant, that my URM status is just a bonus to them. Thanks again for all the advice, I truly do appreciate it.

That's a possibility. In that case, you would likely be waitlisted to see what happens when deposits come in. It really all depends on who enrolls and who doesn't. Last year, there was very little waitlist movement. More people applied, and yields were higher at the top schools. Spots were scarce.

Historically, URMs typically aren't among those admitted off of the waitlists. Some of it probably stems from schools expecting a certain percentage of its URMs to go elsewhere, and thus initially admitting more than they want to actually attend, to balance it. But the fact remains that when admitting off of the waitlist, schools have a choice between slightly improving their diversity numbers, which don't count in rankings, or slightly boosting (or at least not hurting) their numerical profile, which is factored in by USNWR.

Unfortunately, your softs really aren't enough to overcome your numbers at those schools. It's the URM status that makes you competitive, and your softs make you a strong URM candidate. Although schools like diversity, they like their numbers more, and below 25% URMs are a niche they fill, but not overfill. It's not out of the question that you get into one of those schools RD, or get in off of a waitlist. But especially if you're waitlisted, I wouldn't get your hopes up.

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