<p>Hey guys, I was rejected from most of my colleges. Yet people from my school, had worse numbers and were worse overall candidates than I was and they were accepeted. Could it be possible that I was rejected because I applied to too many colleges? Thanks</p>
<p>Some say that applying to too many colleges can exhaust your energy and as a result each application does not have the focus it deserves. But thinking personally, I found that the reason I had applied to so many (12) was because it was mostly reaches, so perhaps this was a reason for why you applied to so many. But anyway, the quality of your applications is based on how much time you give them, so perhaps you just didn't give yourself the necessary time, or perhaps you just got an unlucky break. Everything is possible in this random game of college admissions.</p>
<p>regardless of app quality, do colleges know where you applied?</p>
<p>no, they usually don't unless you tell them. i think there's some rule somewhere they they aren't allowed to exchange lists of applicants...
ie. my bu application told me to list all the schools i had applied to but i didn't because it was optional</p>
<p>Unless you listed the other colleges you applied to, schools won't know.</p>
<p>I think applying to too many colleges is only an issue if it causes you to spend too little time on each application. I applied to 18 colleges, but I don't regret it - I had a very uneven profile, so I wasn't sure where I could get in. I was rejected by most of my reaches, but I know that if I hadn't tried, I would always have wondered. Looking back, there are only about two colleges of the 18 that I would have taken off my list if I were to do it over. It's very much an individual decision.</p>
<p>I listed other schools if they asked me but only schools that were my safety schools so it looked like I really wanted to go to that school. I applied to a lot too but I'm happy I did, gives me many opportunities.</p>
<p>Yea, schools usually only find out about other schools through optional means, like requesting you to list it on the application, and I have actually been asked in a couple of interviews, and as for applying to many schools, I did 12 last year, and it really does allow for many opportunities, but yeah...</p>
<p>Technically, interviewers are not allowed to ask you other schools you applied to. I applied to 10 schools, and I don't think applying to too many hurt my chances at any acceptances. I got 6 already, and I'm waiting to hear from my last safety between now and tomorrow.</p>
<p>I'm wondering about the content and quality of your essays. If your numbers were well above average for the school, it comes down to whether the essays and recommendations set you apart.</p>
<p>For the general essays, did you emphasize (perhaps indirectly) what is special about you, and how you could contribute to a lively campus atmosphere? Did you visit all the schools you applied to, and convey that in your writing? Did your "Why College X?" essay convince the reader that you had examined the course offerings in your major, and looked into the research, clubs and other opportunities that you would want to join?</p>
<p>On our last college visit, the admissions officer read a "good" and a "bad" admissions essay, and we had to comment before he told us which was which! The bad essay wasn't what you would think - no grammatical horrors or hateful attitude. It was a thoughtful, verbose discussion of a significant book. According to the admissions officer, all it revealed is that the author wrote well and owned a thesaurus. The good essay had an arresting opening line and a short explanation of two of the author's passions and how they were related. It used a straightforward style of writing with an uncomplicated vocabulary. I was surprised at the decisions determined by the two essays, but the message was clear - an admissions essay is not an English composition, and the officer reading it is not looking for literary insight. What they want is to know how you will help to build a vibrant living and learning community.</p>
<p>I'm sorry for your situation; I know it feels horrible to have tried so hard and not obtained the results you wanted. If applying to too many schools watered down your efforts, that may be something that others can learn from.</p>
<p>My essay was excellent, I used the same essay for each school. It's about my two year old brother and how he has shaped my life since being born. My reccomendations were excellent also. However, my "Why College X?" essays weren't too good. And I got into all my schools except being waitlisted to one.</p>