<p>Other than time wasted writing essays, filling out applications, and money.</p>
<p>You have listed three very important cons already. Do you have any “pros” for applying to too many colleges?</p>
<p>Another “con” is that, eventually, you have to decide on just ONE. You have no idea how difficult and stressful the month of April can be when you have just three weeks to sift through the acceptances and offers trying to decide on the next four years of your life. It will make it much easier if you have already reduced the list as much as possible, now, when you have plenty of time to think about it. Good luck!</p>
<p>Other then the stardard problems you’ve mentioned, its shows indecisivness. If you get accepted in to say 7 out of 12, that means that you have to weigh down your options for 7 colleges by May, when you put down the deposite. Narrow your list and realize what you really want in a college. You’ll be happier you did, I promise.</p>
<p>This has been discussed in other posts before, the question is how many of those applications are for safeties, targets and reaches. If you are applying to 12 schools and all 12 are safeties and targets, then you are going to have the problem that alamemom and Mare_Crisium point out. </p>
<p>Let us say on the other hand you have 2 safety schools, 5 targets and 5 reaches (usually recommendations are more target schools), you get the 2 safeties, 3 targets and 1 reach, your decision may be easier as you may concentrate on the reach school or one of the targets. Again financial aid is an issue. If you know that you will not get aid and you need aid, why waste time on schools that may give you admission but you will never go there due to their aid policies. Similarly, if you are not going to go to a school because it is too far or too big or too rural or too urban etc., there is nothing to be gained by applying and any false pride that “I got admission in that good school and turned them down” is not worth the effort. Also, remember more schools means more recommendation letters and more work for your teachers and GC. </p>
<p>Hence apply to more schools only if you are a competitive candidate and have many reaches in mind and are very interested in those reaches.</p>
<p>The pro’s of applying to many schools outweight the con’s. Speaking of work for counslers… well actually that is part of their job to send transcripts etc… that is what counslers do and it should be no refusel ( unless you were asking for a rec). </p>
<p>So apply to where you want and simply don’t limit your “future” options unless by choice.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>I agree with this totally. These days applying is lot easier with common app, online apps and word processing. It is a lot more competitive than before as well, so you never know where you’ll get in. Quite different from the world of our fathers and mothers.</p>
<p>The cost of applying (say $100 for app fee, score reports, stamps etc.) is not so large it should stop you for applying to any college where you’d seriously consider going. This may be a personal thing, some people cast their nets pretty wide.</p>