Groundwork2002 I think the most unfortunate element of the application process is that based on the convenience and ease of applying, top tier schools receive 10s of thousands of applications that are almost immediately eliminated from contention based on sub standard school stats.
Kids are allowed and in most cases encouraged to waste time, effort and money pursuing admission to schools that they simply are not competitive candidates for. Adults are reluctant to deliver the message, school’s provide stats in a manner that suggest unhooked lower quartile kids stand a chance, and unsolicited encouragement arrives in the mail box daily.
I fear that even if the number of applications was capped, kids would still waste precious opportunities on the unattainable at the expense of realistic options that will be needed later.