CC Poll: How Many Colleges Did You Apply To?

<p>We asked "how</a> many colleges" last year, and we're doing it again. We've expanded the range of choices based on last year's results. So, how many colleges did you (or your student, if you are a parent) apply to in the 2006/2007 application season? (If you are something other than a high school senior or parent of one, please don't respond to the poll.)</p>

<p>11 colleges? really? I have no patience.</p>

<p>I am going to try to transfer from a local community college and I am planning on 6. more than 10 just sounds crazy to me but I feel as though I really know what I want in a school and know schools where I might be accepted.</p>

<p>Wow "15 or more". That is just uncalled for</p>

<ol>
<li> Might've applied more/less, but I got in early. I suggest applying early if you can.</li>
</ol>

<ol>
<li> But if I could do it again, I would take out two of the places, for a nice, even 5.</li>
</ol>

<p>7 for my D, but she's not even sure why she applied to two of them. Five probably would have done it but then getting in to your #1 choice may change the perspective a bit.</p>

<p>only 2 because I was accepted ED...it would have been 6</p>

<p>My D applied to seven schools, although she now wishes she had skipped over one or two of them. At the same time, there's one school that she looked at, but didn't apply to, that she now wishes she had applied there.</p>

<p>8 was the perfect number for me. It had a nice variety of schools to choose from, and seemed to work well for me. Talking with my friends, 8 seems the perfect balance between spreading yourself too thin with app essays and guaranteeing at least one good admission.</p>

<p>I said 10. If I could do fall over again, though, I would have cut half of those schools and added one or two more (a couple of the Claremont colleges, which I hadn't considered until well over application due dates were over.) I only paid to apply to four of them and most of my schools accepted the common app and only four of those schools needed supplements. I did not have to spend much time or money on my applications.</p>

<p>But I <em>am</em> paying back -- in guilt. Now I realize that by doing all this mad applying, I've taken away a spot to someone who actually may have really wanted to go to such and such school. I hadn't considered that and now I regret being so selfish.</p>

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<p>Not really, Joycelene. Schools admit many more students than spaces, because they know their yield rate (the percent that actually enroll) will be way under 100%. And, of course, they usually put many qualified students on the wait list just in case their yield comes up short. You don't have to worry that somehow you bumped a motivated applicant into oblivion - skip the guilt!</p>

<p>Thanks for the poll. Pretty interesting data so far.</p>

<p>For me -- six apps -- two safeties, two matches and two reaches. So far -- in at both safeties, in at one match, deferred ED at one reach, and waiting for April 1st to wrap this up.</p>

<p>Would love to hear some commentary from those that applied to 11 and more than 15...</p>

<p>Seriously, I am really interested in the motivation and logic behind this.</p>

<p>Well, financial aid for one. Kids that need a lot of aid will apply to not only the typical reach/match/safety schools, but a few of each to compare packages. At least that's what I think..</p>

<p>That makes sense.</p>

<p>I applied to 15 total. And, yes part of the greater reason was the fact that julyinoh mentioned, needing finaid and wanting to compare packages. I had 5 reaches, and still do not expect get into any of them (all RD). </p>

<p>Although, I would not suggest this grand total of 15, it was not necessarily a great increase of stress, most were on the common app, and I recycled a few essays for those not on the common app... however, it is very tedious and quite a few schools to stay on top of and keep track of in terms of completed apps, schools "not recieving" fee waivers (even when transcripts that were sent in the same envelope were recieved just fine), financial aid forms sent/need to be sent, deadlines, and checking decision statuses on the notification dates each school specifies. Also, this (a little) overload of schools has backlashed slightly on me as I did not expect to get into nearly as many schools as I have on my list... We'll see what it comes down to money-wise in April.</p>

<p>I applied to eight schools (2 safety, 3 match, 3 reach), and have gotten into three already under early/rolling plans.</p>

<p>I am overall fairly pleased with my selection, but I have already scratched two schools off of my list for sure. Perhaps it would have been better to apply to six and save some time.</p>

<p>Basically, I would be happy to attend all of the schools to which I applied, and I think (HOPE) that I will have some tough decision-making in the upcoming month with just that smallish handful of schools.</p>

<p>12... a lot, i know, but a few of them (ursinus free application, wisconsin application) required almsot NO work</p>

<p>I applied to 15+, and it's only due to financial reasons.</p>

<p>As an international student living in the U.S., there's really not much choice for me other than trying to get the best financial aid possible. I can't attend uni in my home country since I've been living in the U.S. for 10+ years (even though I did get a 800 on the SAT language exam, that's a far cry from trying to understand the language at the uni level).<br>
Additionally, most American schools are not need blind toward internationals. Those that are, are mostly Ivy's.</p>