<p>S1 (mega scores, decent GPA, insanely tough schedule, huge ECs/awards) had nine schools on the list the fall of senior year. Got into two of his top three choices EA and then dropped three (a reach, match and likely), added one mega reach. Actually submitted seven apps. In reality, by late December there were four schools still seriously in play, though we wanted to see how FA/merit would play out. He got into all four he really wanted. In retrospect there were two more he could have dropped in December, a deferral and the last-minute mega-reach.</p>
<p>The list:
1 – in-state flagship (admissions likely, decent chance for merit)
6 – reaches for everyone, all privates, all but one research universities, some with merit possibilities
1 – OOS flagship (dropped after EA)
2 – reaches (dropped after EA)</p>
<p>Results:<br>
4 acceptances (1 full ride @ flagship, 1 LAC reach w/small merit (30% acceptance), 1 mega reach w/merit (24% three years ago), 1 mega reach w/o merit (11% accepted), one waitlist (14% acceptance), 2 rejections (19% and 7% acceptance) </p>
<p>S2 (high SAT, 3.5 UW/4.24 W, full IB, interesting activities) had eleven schools on the list. We weren’t sure how the GPA/grade gap would play out. He busted his tail writing essays for his top two choices, both of which were reachy, but not impossible. Got into one of those EA in December, and subsequently dropped three schools and added a mega reach. Actually submitted eight apps. In retrospect, should not have bothered with the mega reach and could have dropped one or two in addition to the others he dropped. </p>
<p>The list:<br>
1 – in-state flagship (admissions likely, decent chance for merit)
1 – OOS
1 – private likely, decent chance for merit
4 – LACs (dropped one after EA, rest were reaches)
4 – private research universities, all reaches to varying degrees</p>
<p>Results:
4 acceptances (flagship & private likely, both with merit $$, acceptance rates in the 30s), 2 research universities (reaches, 17.6% and 24% accepted last year)
2 waitlists (both LACs, 19% and 26% last year)
2 rejections (both accept <20% of applicants)</p>
<p>FA/merit $$ was not a make-or-break deal for us. Each S really honed in on their favorite choices and made convincing cases for admission.</p>
<p>We know kids who did 20+ apps and were not happy with the results. They were spread way too thin. We know kids who applied to a state school plus 6-8 schools with acceptance rates under 15% (even kids with mega stats, GPAs and ECs) and/or were an overrepresented demographic at the schools to which they applied, and they had very mixed results, too.</p>
<p>We were lucky both kids had definite ideas about what they wanted and were able to find the schools that really clicked for them. The apps they sent that didn’t have that “I belong HERE” vibe did not fare so well, and I’m pretty convinced that at least in our family, the schools that rejected my kids knew exactly what they were doing.</p>