<p>"and having cooperative recommenders and guidance counselors"
That is such an important point when applying to a large number of schools (eg. more than 8-10), esp. when applying to non common ap schools that may have their own particular checklists, etc. for recommenders. I always counseled my kids to be extra mindful of how they approached these teachers and g.c. with all the forms, to make their stuff as clear and organized as possible, and of course to always express appreciation for their attention to it.</p>
<p>And thanks, curmudgeon, for the link...I was really in the dark on that one!</p>
<p>In hindsight, we should have applied to fewer schools, as my son was a strong applicant and we knew he was an easy admit at most of the colleges (excepting the elites, naturally).</p>
<p>I was trying to maximize the chances of large merit aid offers, which explains some of the bloat, but also my son was relatively uninvolved in the process - he was so present-oriented, rehearsing, performing and into senior activities, that he left me to carry the ball except for essays and short answers. He couldn't identify hard and fast selection criteria, either, so we ended up visiting too many schools, and applying to 12 out of an initial list of over 30. That was a lot of work - I'm still recovering.</p>
<p>I would say that if merit aid is a big factor, you need to apply to more schools - what's sauce for the goose may not be sauce for the gander. In addition, do whatever it takes to get your student to take the lead in the process, at least by fall of senior year. I was not very successful at this, but if I hadn't taken the lead, he would not have had the wonderful opportunities that he was offered. </p>
<p>I did develop a detailed spreadsheet for one-page tracking of all aspects of the apps/fin aid/costs - it helped with dates and requirements. If you would like a blank copy, please PM me & I will send to your email address.</p>
<p>I don't really see the point of applying to multiple safeties. By definition, they're a school you're virtually guaranteed of admission, so unless you're specifically looking for financial aid differences, one should only apply to their top choice safety rather than several of them.</p>
<p>There is a psychological edge to having a choice even among safeties; if by bad luck or poor judgment one is admitted only to the safety or safeties, it feels better to haev a choice.</p>
<p>"and having cooperative recommenders and guidance counselors"</p>
<p>The common application eliminates lots of annoyances, after all, recommenders need only photocopy their letters. D's 10 or so schools are all on the commom application (except our state u) so I think that is less of an inconvenience.</p>
<p>We're pre-printing labels on double-stamped envelopes for the GC and doing the same with a single-stamped envelope for teacher.</p>
<p>D will then assemble a packet (which we'll send separately) with her activity resume, sealed transcript and a letter from her internship mentors. </p>
<p>Lots of work? Yes, but I like having options.</p>