<p>Hey, besides the obvious time spent filling out the applications and the money spent sending them, are there any other downsides to applying to a bunch of colleges? I've heard from some that colleges can see to who else you've applied (assuming you've used the common application) and are less likely to admit those who they think will be accepted by a bunch of other schools. Is there any merit to this? Or is this a rumor? I say this because I've already applied to 5 schools and intend on applying to another 10 or so...is this overkill? THey are all high level schools (northwestern, princeton, amherst....etc)</p>
<p>Hey I’m in the same boat. I’ve applied to about eleven schools and I’m applying to a few more. I’m not exactly sure if this is true, but I wouldn’t be surprised. A girl at my school with good grades and a high SAT applied to 20+ schools (ivys included) and got into 2 or 3, which led me to believe schools may communicate in the first place.
I know that the ivies sometimes communicate about applicants to one another, but I’m not sure about the others. Your safest bet is to only apply to colleges that you could really see yourself going to. 15 schools is not unreasonable but I wouldn’t go far beyond that. Best of luck to you, I hope someone can give a more definitive answer since I’d like to know too.</p>
<p>Honestly, I would just stick to your top 5. It’s not so stressful and you’ll be happy to get in wherever you’re accepted. I applied to 4 and so far, got accepted into 2, deferred from 1, and waiting an admission decision on the other. These were my MAJOR schools. Good luck in whatever you do (:</p>
<p>pretty sure colleges can’t see where else you’ve applied. that wouldn’t be fair. also, if your schools are super-unpredictable, like the top ones, it might be worth it to apply to more schools as long as you don’t sacrifice quality too much.</p>
<p>Colleges cannot see where else you applied. </p>
<p>I do think it is better to stick to under 10 and really put a lot of thought into each application. That will do more to increase your chances. Make sure your list is realistic.</p>
<p>The only way the schools can know where else you’ve applied to is if you fill out the OPTIONAL part on the supplement part of their application asking “to which other schools have you applied to”, which i suggest everyone to leave blank, because safety schools might find out that they are your safety and reject you eg. A friend of mine got into Princeton but rejected from Grinnell???</p>
<p>Colleges cannot see where you have applied. Financial aid offices can see, through FAFSA. However, if it is a need blind process for the college, the admissions cannot know where else the student is applying through the FA office.</p>
<p>I’ve been reading this board for almost three years now, and unless I missed some important change, colleges DO see where you’ve applied through the FAFSA form. To think FA offices do not communicate with admissions at most schools stretches credulity. </p>
<p>Now, the poster above mentioned Need Blind schools do not interface between FA and admissions. This may be so… and it does look like OP’s list includes a lot of Need Blind schools. However, I’ll bet OP is also applying to 5-10 need-aware schools, and if these are her “matches”, then this is relevant!</p>
<p>Still, I think a practical issue with applying to 15+ schools is whether your letters of rec from teachers/others will be the quality you’re needing for extremely select schools. Then there is the issue of whether the HS Counselor would be willing to make phone calls and pull for you with admissions to so many schools. Many elite privates restrict the # of schools for which their students can enlist the assitance/interfacing of the HS Counselor to 10 or less (as I recall reading here from time to time.)</p>