<p>I am a HS Junior and I am in the middle of my college search. I am interested in several colleges that are out of my reach, and I'm worried that parents and teachers will be upset with me when they hear that I will be applying to these schools because they will worry about me being crushed when I am undoubtedly rejected. If I just decide not to apply, then I am afraid I'll wonder "What if...?"</p>
<p>I have plenty of matches and safeties, so I will most likely get into some school, I just don't want to make anyone feel bad for me.</p>
<p>I think you should apply (if you have the $ or fee waivers) and kind of keep it to yourself. Don’t talk about it until you get the decision. That way they will hopefully not feel bad for you after they see it didn’t affect you in the way they thought it would.</p>
<p>Once you have 2 safeties and 3-5 match schools, apply to as many “reaches” as you wish or can afford. If your counselor questions you (which is unlikely if you have enough safeties/matches and most schools are on commonapp = 2 or 20, it’s just one report to upload for him/her), explain that you want to see where you get get admitted and you know these “reach” schools have great financial aid so you feel you owe it to yourself and your parents to try.
And do not discuss these choices with relatives or parents’ friends, you’ll ALWAYS have one who will criticize you (too high, too low, never heard of it, too expensive, too far, etc, etc). Just say “I have my safety and I’m thinking of a couple others” or “I haven’t heard back yet, i’d rather not jinx it”, etc :)</p>
<p>mathflute: I recruit for an HYP. Ironically, I NEVER encourage anyone to apply.</p>
<p>I invite them to consider my information carefully and the general portrait of a competitive applicant, and if they envision themselves at the school – then go ahead.</p>
<p>Without knowing anything about you (other than you don’t want to be left with a “what if”), let me ask you this: is the $200 or so you’ll ask your parents to spend on those apps really worth your ego-shot? Consider what $200 can do at your local women’s shelter or food pantry. Really.</p>
<p>T26E4: OP is both a talented flutist and a talented mathematician. I think her reaches include Oberlin and URochester - matches for academics but reaches due to the competitiveness for flute.</p>
<p>Every minute you spend applying to schools that are out of reach is a minute you’re not spending looking for and applying to amazing colleges that are within your reach. </p>
<p>I’ve just watched a close friend of my daughter (who is smart and talented) waste most of her very limited time applying to HYP et al. It honestly breaks my heart to think of the opportunities she is forgoing.</p>
<p>Remember that if you apply to a really long list of schools and are applying for financial aid, you/your parents will have a lot of work to do on the FA applications if you have a lot of schools. Each schools seems to have a slightly different twist on what they want and when they want it… it about made me crazy to do this for just 8 schools for D2 last year. Now this year is a piece of cake – one school with one set of requirements. But the FA work for freshman year is pretty significant. For that reason, try to keep your list of schools around 10 or fewer. There is no earthly reason to do more applications. I agree with MYOS – 2 safeties, 3-5 matches, and then I would say add 3-5 reaches (depending on the number of matches you have).</p>
<p>If it is completely unrealistic, don’t waste everyone’s time. If you are within range, then apply yourself: to your spring semester, to doing exciting things over summer, to preparing an outstanding application. Then you will have made it worth everyone’s while, including yours.</p>
<p>About being crushed: do they know of you as a delicate flower, sensitive to rejection? Change that image meanwhile; again you have some time here to manage yourself. Also you can just have an honest talk that you know the chances are slim and are willing to risk it.</p>
<p>OP: You’d get more “usable” answers if you posted in the music forum.
Posters here are responding as if you were posting “what if I apply to all 8 Ivies plus Stanford and MIT?”… which, if I remember your earlier thread, isn’t your question at all.
You’re asking “should I go for Tufts/NEC”, right?
I think the issue here is the flute: basically, due to the competitiveness of the process, ALL schools are reaches for flautists. There are NO “matches” or “safeties”.
So in my opinion, you should classify your schools based on academics, ie., how likely are you to get admitted for math – have the 2 safeties, 3-5 matches and a few <em>academic</em> reaches, regardless of how insane the flute competition is.
Plan to major in math and play the flute in whichever capacity.
If on top of it you’re also admitted to the BM or dual degree, it’s win-win.
However due to the dual degree, BM/BA, BA/BA, BA/BS situation, I don’t think you’ll be able to contain your list to just 10.</p>
<p>When you go to show your guidance counsellor, parents, etc. your list of schools – break it up into the following categories:</p>
<p>“Reach Schools”</p>
<p>“Match Schools”</p>
<p>“Safety Schools”</p>
<p>That way, whoever sees the list will know that you understand that your chances for the reach schools aren’t great.</p>
<p>Otherwise – so long as your list contains enough realistic choices – and applying to multiple reaches will not result in a financial burden on your family – I see no reason not to go for it. Sure it’s a few hours of your time, but if you’re willing to spend it, well, your chances are infinately greater if you apply than if you don’t, and at least you’ll know the answer.</p>
<p>One other point – I differentiate between reaches and “snowball” schools (i.e., there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell that you’ll be accepted). Even with that, I see no great harm if someone wants to toss a snowball or two after all the other applications are done.</p>
<p>Bro, you’ve got nothing to lose. Fear of rejection will get you nowhere in life. Always take the shot.</p>
<p>Best case scenario: you get in AND your life is changed for the better.
Worst case scenario: you spent $70 on an app fee and some time crafting your essays.</p>
<p>The reward significantly outweighs the risk.</p>
<p>I thought I had literally ZERO shot at Northwestern, and lo and behold, I got in.</p>
<p>If I would have had that negative mindset of fearing rejection or what other people thought, I would have not applied, and would have thus missed out on an incredible opportunity.</p>
<p>“You miss 100% of the shot you don’t take.”</p>
<p>-Wayne Gretzky</p>
<p>Just look at the most successful people in the world. No one achieves success without risking failure.</p>
<p>Aim low → Succeed low
Aim high → Succeed high</p>
<p>Your success is in direct proportion to the goals you set.</p>
<p>always try. you never know what will happen. while some schools may seem unrealistic, apply just for kicks, but also keep realistic schools in the picture</p>