Directory

The Restrictive Admissions Playbook

A premium index of SCEA and REA mandates. Master the complex rules of elite early rounds with instant data on deadlines, selectivity, and Ivy League compatibility

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6

of 6 SCEA/REA schools

Curated for policy clarity: browse cards for deadline, acceptance, and Ivy indicators.
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Harvard University logoREA

REA

Harvard University

The Future Global Leader. Harvard’s REA pool is the most competitive in the world. It’s for students who have already achieved something on a national or international scale.

Ivy League

Deadline

Nov 1

Avg SAT

1540

Avg ACT

34

SCEA Admit

7.6%

Acceptance

3.4%

Status

Closed

Application plan
REA

Harvard is famous for deferring a massive percentage of REA applicants to the Regular Decision round rather than rejecting them. Don't let an REA deferral stall your momentum for January applications.

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Stanford University logoREA

REA

Stanford University

The Tech-Forward Trailblazer. Stanford wants the "next big thing." Their REA round is for students who show "Intellectual Vitality"—the desire to learn for the sake of learning, often with a Silicon Valley-style entrepreneurial twist.

Deadline

Nov 1

Avg SAT

1530

Avg ACT

34

SCEA Admit

9.2%

Acceptance

3.9%

Status

Closed

Application plan
REA

Stanford is very strict about the "Private" rule. You can apply to your state's flagship (like UC Berkeley) EA, but if you apply to even a "safety" private school EA, your Stanford application is disqualified.

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Yale University logoSCEA

SCEA

Yale University

The Holistic Intellectual. Yale uses SCEA to find students who prioritize community and diverse academic interests. They aren't looking for "pre-professionals" as much as they are looking for "citizens."

Ivy League

Deadline

Nov 1

Avg SAT

1530

Avg ACT

34

SCEA Admit

9%

Acceptance

4.4%

Status

Closed

Application plan
SCEA

You cannot apply to any other private EA/ED programs. You are essentially telling Yale, "You are the only private school I care about in November."

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University of Notre Dame logoREA

REA

University of Notre Dame

The Values-Driven Leader. Notre Dame looks for a specific "fit"—students who care about faith, service, and the unique campus culture.

Deadline

Nov 1

Avg SAT

1480

Avg ACT

33

SCEA Admit

—

Acceptance

12%

Status

Closed

Application plan
REA

This is the trickiest one. Notre Dame's REA is not "Single Choice." You can apply to other private EA programs (like MIT), you just can't apply to a binding ED program (like Brown)

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Princeton University logoSCEA

SCEA

Princeton University

The Undergraduate Scholar. Since Princeton has no law or medical school, their SCEA round is for students obsessed with research and the "senior thesis." It’s formal, traditional, and extremely academic.

Ivy League

Deadline

Nov 1

Avg SAT

1540

Avg ACT

—

SCEA Admit

—

Acceptance

4%

Status

Closed

Application plan
SCEA

Because it’s SCEA, you can’t compare financial aid offers from other private schools until the spring. Ensure your family is comfortable with Princeton’s (admittedly generous) aid estimator before locking in.

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Caltech logoREA

REA

Caltech

The Pure Scientist. Caltech’s REA is for the math and science obsessed. They don't care about "well-roundedness" as much as they care about your ability to solve high-level physics problems.

Deadline

Nov 1

Avg SAT

1560

Avg ACT

—

SCEA Admit

—

Acceptance

3.9%

Status

Closed

Application plan
REA

Caltech only recently moved to REA (it used to be standard EA). Many old guides still list it as non-restrictive. Verify that your list doesn't include MIT or Georgia Tech (Private) if you choose Caltech.

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