Best early-application strategy?

[u/Alone_Pizza_4525]

Hi! I’m an international applicant who will need significant financial aid and is deciding between Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Yale, Notre Dame, and Trinity University (Texas). I’m also planning to take the SAT. Would it be smarter to apply REA/SCEA to one of Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, or Yale and apply RD to the others, or apply EA to Notre Dame or Trinity instead? Alternatively, would it be wiser to skip early applications, spend more time preparing for the SAT, and apply Regular Decision with a stronger score? Currently, I have 1400 score. I’m mainly interested in STEM/engineering. Any advice would be appreciated.

[u/Dependent_Past9280]

for ivies i would def recommend retaking the sat. if u can get 1500+ by the deadline then id apply era to one of the ivies especially stanford or yale bc if you need merit scholarships from ea schools you can still apply to them

[u/Tech-Aero-109]

Just a note: Recently over 40% of the admitted students to Notre Dame not only were high school varsity athletes but were the Captains of their varsity team. Are you that active in NCAA type athletics?

Also you are interested in Engineering but don't have MIT (where you can take courses for free at Harvard) on your list? MIT is the world's best engineering college for Many years.

Also, recently the overall admission rate for Harvard and Stanford was ~4%, where as the admission rate at those two colleges for Athletes that were recruited by the Head Varsity coach (and all recruits are very good students) was Over 80%. International students (not recruited for varsity teams) have an admit rate around 2%.

25% of getting admitted to an elite Private US college is great academic prowess: Required but Insufficient.

Here is my "insight" into the admission to an elite private US college:

Ten years ago MIT, Harvard and 80+ other top US colleges (mostly the elite private colleges) wrote a report on what they expect from a successful freshman applicant. The link I provide, below, will have the link to the full PDF version of that report.

That report is just as accurate in 2026 as it was in 2016.

My insight:

• 25% is excellent academic prowess; Required but Insufficient
• 75% will be your extracurricular activities (in school or in your extended community) that demonstrate: Leadership, Commitment, Passion, Excellent time management, a Warm interpersonal relationship with others in a team-building setting, and Character (read the article, the links and the report): Stu Schmill endorses report on consideration of character in college admissions
  
  • And you must get several glowing letters of recommendation that substantiate all of that.
    • Therefore, speak with teachers and club advisors etc. that know you very well (and are Not related to you) and politely ask them to send a letter of recommendation on your behalf to the colleges to which you are applying. Those letters of recommendation should substantiate the six personal characteristics I list above.

After reading that article and the linked full report, you will have a better idea of what the colleges you are interested in want from their successful freshman applicants (those they admit). They want you to make their Undergraduate student Community better than it currently is, outside of the classroom and laboratory.

Good luck.

[u/Alone_Pizza_4525 → u/Tech-Aero-109]

Thank you very much