<p>My first 3 kids had lists of 8-12 schools they were seriously interested in and would have applied to if early acceptances had not happened. Current (and last) HS senior has 20 schools in her dashboard and will eliminate/edit the list as early admissions happen or don’t. It’s always good to be prepared and have timelines with deadlines for every contingency during the admissions season. e.g. if a non binding early acceptance, which if any further applications will you submit? You regroup as decisions come in. Always be working ahead on the next step without spending money on app fees or score sends prematurely.
If no early applications are in your plan, complete RD applications by preference/priority in case timing becomes a problem. Know when you expect to have each supplement completed (ahead of submission date) , your CSS profile, your materials requested if using Naviance, your scores sent, etc. etc. There is a lot to manage and a large calendar plus chart or spreadsheet that student and parents can refer to is invaluable. </p>
<p>The applicant I personally know of who submitted the most applications completed 43. Her results were extremely underwhelming. She was admitted to only 2 schools that were real possibilities for her - a southern LAC that did not fit her personality and a women’s college (plus a lot of safeties she didn’t want to attend). Ultimately she put a very positive spin on it and is happy at the women’s college, but one cant help believing that the application process for 43 schools (and interviewing at half of them) played a large role in her unhappy results. </p>
<p>Under 10 is a good target but I can understand in California the need to apply to more of the UCs. If you have to to apply for federal financial aid you have to jump through some hoops as the FAFSA only has space for 10. You put the first ten in, wait until they process, delete them and put the next ones in.</p>
<p>My son applied to 9 schools, UMass, UDel, Maryland, FSU, University of Florida, Alabama, UConn, Binghampton and Wisconsin-Madison. Each school was different ranging from $30 (florida schools) to $75 UMASS…had to pay $24 each school for 2 sets of ACT each school. He was just accepted to Alabama school of Engineering (that was a safe school for him)…waiting on the other 8. Wisconsin and UMass are his top choices…good luck everyone!</p>
<p>Last year I applied to 8 schools (5 safeties/low matches and 3 reaches, don’t ask). This year I am applying to 11 schools (4 safeties/low-matches, 3 reaches, and 4 matches/high-matches). I am applying to a school ED this year (one of my match/high-match schools), so hopefully I will only end up applying to one. Most schools were $60-$75 to apply to, plus $11.25 or whatever it is for SAT/subject tests for each school, plus whatever the CSS Profile costs (I can’t remember). It’s simply ridiculous.</p>
<p>Im applying to 11 total… 3 of them simply because they sent me fee waivers. 4 are free too apply to so my total is really only around $400. I have 2 safeties, 4 matches, 5 reaches and I’m just realizing that doesn’t sound ideal… I’m currently applying to all that allow it early action because I’m basically done with apps and my GC told me it was fine, but there is a concern that they will all find out about each other and reject me for that. Is that a real thing? I only really need to do 4 of them early. I’m just doing it for convenience. </p>
<p><a href=“T”>quote</a>here is a concern that they will all find out about each other and reject me for that. Is that a real thing?
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<p>No. They expect they will have to compete for students. This is not an all one-sided game with you always on the begging side. Even Harvard wants to recruit students away from Yale. If they find out about each other, schools like to tease each other when they grab a highly prized student that the other was also pursuing.</p>