<p>I would agree. That and the fact that nothing is certain anymore. What we called "safeties" no longer exist, especially for bright kids, who are not the best of the brightest. You just don't know what the colleges will do and, unless you restrict yourself to in-state schools, you'll never know how much aid you might get unless you have some privates to compare your package with. Kid's applying for aid usually cannot afford the luxury of ED which might limit the number of schools they apply to. Even if accepted ED, it's foolish to assume that one school will be able to fulfill your financial requirements and, regardless of what they say, you can't afford to trust they'll do right by you financially.</p>
<p>I originally intended to apply to 9 schools but lost my will as the app process went on and only applied to 5. I don't know how people applying to 15+ do it.</p>
<p>5,and had two more ready to go but then i got into my choice 1B</p>
<p>11, 2 safeties, 3 matches, 6 reach</p>
<p>I applied to three schools:
- Penn Wharton (ED)
- UChicago (EA)
- UMich Ann Arbor (Rolling)</p>
<p>i applied to 4 (1 reach, 2 match and a saftey) and got into 3(reach, 1 match and saftey) so far. i think its way to much effort to appy to so many. plus i am gonna have a hard time deciding between the few i applied to. i dont know how some people make a decision when the apply to so many. however, i didnt really apply to any schools i didnt think i could get into. i even was pretty sure i would get into my reach which i did. if i could do it again, i think i would do the same thing.</p>
<p>1 for me, it was Early Decision and I got accepted.</p>
<p>Perfect matches, that's what the college admission process was about for me. :)</p>
<p>Just one for me, ED. Thankfully. Would've applied to 5 more if that hadn't worked out. :] I think that ED/EA makes this a little deceptive, since if that was done away with, you'd have totally different numbers.</p>
<p>I applied to 15 schools. Basically most of the schools in the big 12, pac 10, and a few illinois (since i'm a resident). I got into all but two schools(how is it I got into the University of Arizona, but rejected by Arizona State?), but only got significant money to one of the out of state schools.</p>
<p>My son applied to 13 colleges altogether. Well, at first he applied to only one -- ED. He was not accepted, which came as an absolute shock to all of his teachers, and to everyone who knows him and his record. He exceeded requirements in every area of consideration. His interview went especially well, and he was a legacy applicant. We received absolutely NO legitimate explanation for his rejection. </p>
<p>He is very bright and has an excellent record. He has merited acceptance into a top university, and belongs in one. So, in order to improve his odds of getting accepted into an excellent program, he applied to about six top universities, four very good universities, and two safeties which had free/ easy applications. His safeties are nonetheless excellent colleges, although somewhat under rated by US News. It was a lot of work for him to complete all of the lengthy applications. He worked very hard on them at a time when he also had to concentrate on mid-term exams, etc. etc. He has been accepted to his two safeties already (rolling admission.) We will have to wait to find out which other colleges will accept him. </p>
<p>The "process" or kangaroo court that we call "college admissions" is ridiculously unfair to high quality applicants. If he could apply to one or two colleges, and could feel certain that he would be accepted if he surpassed all of their requirements, it would have made this year much easier for him. </p>
<p>No one wants to have to submit 13 applications.</p>
<p>In truth, I could have gone to a much more prestigious university then the one that I choose, but do not feel the least bit ashamed. Does your son intend on going to graduate school? If so, then it really doesn't matter were he goes as an undergrad. I currently attend the University of Missouri-Columbia and have friends or know of people who have gotten into the most elite graduate programs. One of my premed friends is trying to choose between stanford, harvard, and washu for medical school and a guy I work with just got his off from washu's doctoral program in psychology. It doesn't matter were you go, just how you do. Furthermore, a top student my find a less competitive environment more conducive to academic success. Personally the social advantages of a large state school far outweigh the name recogniton that an ivy would have gotten me. Also, it is much less expensive! Furthermore, after a few years out of college, no one is going to care where you went to college. A fancy diploma may help get your name in the door, but after some time out of school or that first job, no is going to care. At that point it will be about who you know and how you did.</p>
<p>While I agree that state schools have many benefits, I also don't think you are giving top colleges enough credit. They offer far more than a degree.</p>
<p>How long does it take to finish one application?</p>
<p>Applications are pretty easy to complete. The real stress comes from making sure everything makes it into each admissions office and that you give the essays enough attention.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>What do you mean by that? Don't you just put it in the mail or email? :confused:</p>
<p>If you mean that whole, being surrounded by like minded, estudious students, I get that by being in the honors college and taking small classes. You'll find smart people at any school. Granted, the average student here wasn't/isn't a valadictorian/started a homeless shelter/eaglescout/kennedy, but there are a lot of smart, interesting people here as well. I have close friends who attended ivy's, and almost all of them were jealous of the experiences my friends who just wen't to my state school. They work for some people, but I think most people just don't quite realize what there getting themselves into. As I said before, it doesn't matter were you go for undergrad.</p>
<p>
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The "process" or kangaroo court that we call "college admissions" is ridiculously unfair to high quality applicants.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I'm sorry, what? I don't mean to derail the thread, but how is it fair to anyone at all? If anything, high quality applicants are the ones with the least trouble getting accepted - that is why they're "high quality" as you put it. They're the ones with the least trouble, so I don't see what there is to be complaining about when it's just referring to the very top applicants. As a whole, though, anyone can agree that college admissions is crazy.</p>
<p>
[quote]
What do you mean by that? Don't you just put it in the mail or email?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>For me at least, the stress has come from forms taking weeks to be processed and some forms not making it the first time around. It is easier to keep track of everything if you apply to fewer schools.</p>
<p>Crimson - I think it is difficult to accurately compare the resources of a top university to those of a state school honors program without having been in both environments. I can at least say that of the people I know, those at top schools feel very pampered, challenged, and important - that is, important as a person in the eyes of the administration. Your experience may be different, but it is silly for you to try and condemn the advantages of a top school if you've not personally experienced them first hand.</p>
<p>oh, okay ;)</p>
<p>Thanks for your comments, crimsonalchemist. You are partially right. For programs like med school, it doesn't matter where you went to college, as long as you took all your pre-med requirements and have good grades. In other fields- think business or law, it does matter where you went to college, both in terms of whether you get accepted into a top grad school, and in terms of where you get hired. </p>
<p>In my state, our large state college has an excellent alumni network for getting hired, but my son didn't want the large state school environment. Also, he does intend to go on to grad school. Don't get me wrong. He did not apply to Harvard, Princeton or Yale. He selected colleges that met his very personal criteria. He visited all of the colleges he applied to, and will be happy in any one of them. </p>
<p>Since he is very bright, he knows that he needs the academic challenges that a top university can offer. He really needs to be in a very rigorous academic environment.</p>