As I understand it, in the past one could apply Early Action 1 and get two more looks (EA 2 and Regular Admission). Now with the new policy, if one applies EA, the possible outcomes are: offer of admission; rejection; or wait list (no second or third look). I also understand that those offered admission via EA in past years had a composite profile above the profile of the entire class.
For example, see the Early Action composite profile for those offered admission for the class of 2015 as reported by Objee in his post dated 1/19/11, "Early Action Finished":
Average SAT Scores: 649 CR 662 M (includes converted ACT scores)
Average HS Rank: 8% (includes reported and calculated HSR's)
Average GPA: 3.94 (all reported GPA's are converted to a 4.00 scale)
and compare that to the class profile for the class of 2015 is shown on the USCGA website at http://www.uscga.edu/display.aspx?id=340:
Standardized Test Scores:
• Median SAT: 630 Math, 590 Verbal, 588 Writing
• 52% in the top 10% of high school class
• 85% in the top 25% of high school class
• 99% in the top 50% of high school class
That's a 58 point difference in CR and a 32 point difference in Math and about 50% of the 2015 class was below the 10th percentile of their high school class compared to an average 8th percentile average for the EA group.
So, my question is whether the selection criteria for Early Action has been changed? In the past, an applicant who considered himself/herself competitive with the class profile had nothing to lose and more to gain by applying EA1. However, with the new "one look" approach, it seems like more of a gamble to apply EA unless either one is similar to the profile of earlier EA groups or the selection criteria for EA has changed so that those offered admission will be more in line with the entire class profile.
Of course, given the rising number of applicants and the smaller class size, the 2016 class profile may look like last year's EA composite profile, but because of the change to the "one look" approach for EA applicants, I think applicants should know if and how the selection criteria for EA has also changed.
For example, see the Early Action composite profile for those offered admission for the class of 2015 as reported by Objee in his post dated 1/19/11, "Early Action Finished":
Average SAT Scores: 649 CR 662 M (includes converted ACT scores)
Average HS Rank: 8% (includes reported and calculated HSR's)
Average GPA: 3.94 (all reported GPA's are converted to a 4.00 scale)
and compare that to the class profile for the class of 2015 is shown on the USCGA website at http://www.uscga.edu/display.aspx?id=340:
Standardized Test Scores:
• Median SAT: 630 Math, 590 Verbal, 588 Writing
• 52% in the top 10% of high school class
• 85% in the top 25% of high school class
• 99% in the top 50% of high school class
That's a 58 point difference in CR and a 32 point difference in Math and about 50% of the 2015 class was below the 10th percentile of their high school class compared to an average 8th percentile average for the EA group.
So, my question is whether the selection criteria for Early Action has been changed? In the past, an applicant who considered himself/herself competitive with the class profile had nothing to lose and more to gain by applying EA1. However, with the new "one look" approach, it seems like more of a gamble to apply EA unless either one is similar to the profile of earlier EA groups or the selection criteria for EA has changed so that those offered admission will be more in line with the entire class profile.
Of course, given the rising number of applicants and the smaller class size, the 2016 class profile may look like last year's EA composite profile, but because of the change to the "one look" approach for EA applicants, I think applicants should know if and how the selection criteria for EA has also changed.