<p>So I've been reading all of these lists of acceptances and whatnot, and have been flabbergasted by the number of schools some people managed to apply to. I managed to whittle my choices down to three. A safety, a reach, and my dream school. I was just wondering why others felt so comfortable applying to like, ten schools. Were you encouraged to do so? Did you think it would give you more options later on? Mostly I'm just in awe of how you people finished so many apps, I had a hard time with three! </p>
<p>So here's a little research for next year's seniors ('10) to look at when they're deciding where to apply.
By "contenders", I mean the schools you actually had to choose between. </p>
<p>Schools you applied to: (#), list schools
Schools that accepted you: (#), list schools
"Contenders": (#), list schools
Final Choice:
Why did you choose to apply to that number of schools?:</p>
<p>Schools you applied to: (3), UChicago, Rice, UT Austin
Schools that accepted you: (3), UChicago, Rice, UT Austin
“Contenders”: UChicago, Rice
Final Choice: UChicago
Why did you choose to apply to that number of schools?: Basically, I had to limit my possibilities because I can’t afford to spend 60 bucks on a bunch of reaches.</p>
<p>Schools you applied to: (13), University of Colorado, Rutgers, Penn State, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Colorado Denver, Denver University, Castleton State College, Ramapo College, Monmouth University, University of Rhode Island, Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Drew University, Albright College
Schools that accepted you: (12), all except Denver University, I was waitlisted.
“Contenders”: (3), Rutgers, University of Colorado, Pennn State
Final Choice: University of Colorado
Why did you choose to apply to that number of schools?: A few were free applications and I needed scholarship money. I personally think you should apply to as many as you can and that you’re truly interested in. I visited almost all of them and I loved almost all of them.</p>
<p>This is a great idea for a thread. Hope it will help Class of 2010.</p>
<p>Schools applied to: (10) Ohio State, Ohio University, Kent State, Penn State, Miami University, John Carroll University, Xavier University, College of Wooster, Marquette University and Saint Louis University
Schools that accepted me: (9) All except I was waitlisted at College of Wooster
Contenders: Marquette, Saint Louis, Xavier, Miami
Final Choice: Saint Louis University
Why did I apply to that number of Schools?: Not completely sure what type of school would be the best fit or where I would be accepted, hoping to get some merit aid (I did) and wanting to have some choices in April. Pleasantly surprised to have so many acceptances.</p>
<p>Schools applied to: (6) University of Florida, University of Michigan, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, UVA, and Penn State.
Schools that accepted you: (4) UF, UMich, VT and Penn State - Waitlisted at UVA but declined offer to be placed on waitlist.
Contenders: UF and UMich
Final Choice: University of Michigan
Why did I apply to that number of schools? It seemed like the right number since I had a couple of safeties in VT and Penn State, UF was a match, and UMich, UVA and Vanderbilt were reaches. I was lucky and got into one of my reaches, which happens to be the best Engineering school of all the ones I applied to - bonus!</p>
<p>Back in the day, I applied to quite a few schools - maybe ten? My reason for that was because I needed really good financial aid. I knew that I’d probably get into most of the schools to which I applied, so it wasn’t that I feared I wouldn’t get in; it was that I needed to be able to compare financial aid packages. </p>
<p>I tend to advise other students who are in similar financial circumstances to do the same - apply to reach, match, safety; but apply to at least a couple of schools in each of those groups. In addition, when pulling together that list, include a mix of public unis in your home state/private colleges that tend to give great aid/other schools to your choice. </p>
<p>See where you get in, see what aid they offer, and then decide.</p>
<p>Schools you applied to: (8), UNC Chapel Hill, Harvard, University of Chicago, UPenn, Gerorgetown, Princeton, Wash U St Louis, Stanford
Schools that accepted you: (5), UNC Chapel Hill, University of Chicago, UPenn, Wash U St Louis, Stanford; 2 waitlists - Harvard, Georgetown
“Contenders”: (2), Stanford, UPenn
Final Choice: Stanford
Why did you choose to apply to that number of schools?: I’m not sure. It felt right? In retrospect I would’ve applied to the same number but I would’ve changed some of the schools. I would’ve applied to Yale, not WUSTL…</p>
<p>**Schools you applied to: (#), list schools ** 11: D’Youville College, SUNY Binghamton, SUNY Brockport, SUNY Buffalo, Le Moyne College, Norfolk State University, Temple University, Coppin State University, Howard University, local CC, Drexel University.
**Schools that accepted you: (#), list schools ** 8: D’Youville, Brockport, Norfolk, Le Moyne, Temple, Coppin, Howard, Drexel. (Yes, you did read that right, I got rejected from my local CC, but only because my school didn’t send my transcript on time for the nursing program which has a deadline while the school in general doesn’t). “Contenders”: (#), list schools 4: Temple, Drexel, Le Moyne, D’Youville Final Choice: Le Moyne.
**Why did you choose to apply to that number of schools?: ** I didn’t have a great GPA or ACT score (2.97uw and 23 composite respectively), wasn’t confident in myself, and wasn’t really sure what type of school I wanted to go to…So I applied to one of almost everything.</p>
<p>Schools you applied to: 8, Stanford, Middlebury, Hamilton, Kenyon, Bucknell, SUNY Binghamton, St. Lawrence, Le Moyne</p>
<p>Schools that accepted you: 7, all but Stanford.</p>
<p>“Contenders”: Middlebury, Kenyon and Bucknell</p>
<p>Final Choice: Midd!!</p>
<p>Why did you choose to apply to that number of schools?: I chose two safeties, two reaches and four kind of matches. I actually got advised to do this by an admissions officer. And while making my final decision was kind of tough, I sometimes wish I had applied to more schools, or just applied to some different schools.</p>
<p>Schools applied to: (4) Barnard, CUNY CCNY, CUNY Queens, CUNY John Jay College
Schools that accepted you: All but Barnard
Contenders: CUNY CCNY, CUNY Queens
Final Choice: CUNY CCNY
Why did I apply to that number of schools? : Simply because I haven’t had a good grasp of the universities in my state and financial aids etc and wasted the deadline on acceptances. I will do a transfer definitely in the future.</p>
<p>Schools you applied to: (5), Princeton, MIT, Wellesley, Harvey Mudd, Reed
Schools that accepted you: (2), Reed, Harvey Mudd
“Contenders”: (2), Reed, Harvey Mudd
Final Choice: Harvey Mudd
Why did you choose to apply to that number of schools?: I had a good safety (Reed) which I was fine with going to. In retrospect, I would have applied to more schools as I regretted not having the choice of a national university. At application time, I thought I had had all my bases covered…</p>
<p>Had been rejected ED Dartmouth and expanded the original list (Middlebury, Tufts Colgate) after that. And in the end, it came down to these three regardless.</p>
<p>Schools you applied to: (15) Grinnell, Vanderbilt, Claremont McKenna, UIowa, Drake, Stanford, Brown, Rice, Cornell, Colgate, Duke, Georgetown, WashU StL
Schools that accepted you: (5) Grinnell, Vanderbilt, Claremont McKenna, UIowa, Drake (local okay-ish Uni.) [[Waitlist: (4) Colgate, Duke, Georgetown, WashU StL]]
“Contenders”: (3) Grinnell, Vanderbilt, Claremont McKenna
Final Choice: Harvey Mudd
Why did you choose to apply to that number of schools?: I’m the first kid through HS in my family and my school knew nothing about the process, so I didn’t really have much idea of what I was in for. Also, I was suspended during high school (not for academic dishonesty) so I didn’t know how that would play out. It worked out though :)</p>
<p>Schools you applied to: (9), Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth, Northwestern, Pomona, Claremont McKenna, University of Rochester, Oregon State University
Schools that accepted you: (5) Oregon State, Rochester, Northwestern, Dartmouth, Yale (waitlist: Pomona, Claremont McKenna)
“Contenders”: (2) Yale, Dartmouth
Final Choice: Yale
Why did you choose to apply to that number of schools?: Essentially, to maximize my opportunity for financial aid, without applying to an obscene amount of colleges. Less than ten seemed like a good goal, so I went with nine. There wasn’t any real reason for the number; it was just something that seemed right.</p>
<p>KMad- To err on the side of caution many applied to multiple safeties. Some were encouraged by counselors, teachers, parents to apply to multiple reach schools with the attitude “You might get in, so what the hey!” Some have multiple dream schools that they could be happy attending. Before they know they have 10 applications. I commend you on your restraint-limiting yourself to 3 applications. I’d be nervous though. A couple more safeties would ease my mind that I would get several acceptances to choose from next spring. Good Luck sweating it out with only 3, especially if you get 2 rejections and you are counting on the last one FTW.</p>