<p>How many schools is too many? My list right now is 17 schools, not including the UCs I will be applying to. I don't count the UCs because their apps are rather easy and don't require recommendations. I'll probably narrow this list down to 15, but should I go lower?</p>
<p>Do you think to ask a teacher for 17 recommendations is too many? Do teachers all write one recommendation and just print it out X many times?</p>
<p>My list right now:
Amherst College
Harvard College [EDIT] NOT ON LIST ANYMORE
Mount Holyoke
Oberlin College
Occidental College
Pomona College
Princeton University
Smith College
Stanford University
University of Rochester
Williams College
Yale University
Tufts University
Brandeis University
Northwestern
Brown University
University of Chicago</p>
<p>Each one of these schools has something that really attracts me about them, though they are different from one another. </p>
<p>Are there any schools here that you think deviate more than the others from the rest of the group?</p>
<p>Usually teachers only write one recommendation. However, 17 schools is definitely too many! Think about all the time and effort you'll have to spend writing all those applications. I'd say 10 schools tops without the UCs. Narrow your choices down to the ones with the most appealing nature. Plus, with less schools, you'll have a easier time choosing one in April. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks. It is just that I don't know too much about myself. I mean, I'm 16. I don't know if I want a small or large school. I would be okay with either. I don't really mind what organizations and programs the school has because if they don't have a program or organization I'm interested in, I know I can make one on my own or get involved with one somehow. I don't care too much about location.</p>
<p>It's hard for me to narrow down my list because I don't really know myself that well and, consequently, don't have a specific idea of what I want in a college.</p>
<p>Despite deep introspection, I don't think I can figure out who I am and what I want by December. It'll take a lifetime. I just want to attend a college that will encourage me to explore my choices, so if any of those (above) don't allow me to do this, please let me know. An indication of this would be, for instance, the difficult of switching between majors, which is info hard to find on their websites.</p>
<p>Yeah, I agree. I think that 10-13 would be good. I just can't seem to figure out what to take out.</p>
<p>Thing is, I kind of want some safeties and/or matches on this list, too (at least 2-3) because I have never been too found of the UCs (besides UCI). I don't want to end up at one of them, but my school practically forces us to apply to them.</p>
<p>[EDIT] I want a school that is pretty nurturing to undergraduates, so I've decided to take Harvard off the list. Know of any other schools that aren't too focused on undergrads?</p>
<p>If you want a college that'll let you explore your choices, keep Brown on your list. They have an open curriculum and allows you to choose every single one of your classes. So there's lots of freedom there.</p>
<p>Yeah. I heard about that, which is why it's one school that I'm definitely applying to.</p>
<p>I should probably explain why a few are on the list.</p>
<p>Yale: directed studies + residential college + rare books library + museums + two professors in particular + liberal atmosphere</p>
<p>Pomona: I love the atmosphere. I fell in love with Mudd, but considering I'm not sure I want to focus on engineering/science/math, I researched Pomona. It is an incredible school and it is actually pretty close to home, which isn't a requirement, but might be cool.</p>
<p>UChicago: Very intellectually stimulating, not very competitive, very friendly. I feel like I will really enjoy the people at this school and the social and academic atmosphere.</p>
<p>If you VISIT some schools, you'll be able to cut your list down a lot once you find out what you like in size/location/etc.</p>
<p>Afterall, Pomona and Princeton are very different places.</p>
<p>Also, more than half of the schools you have now are reaches for everyone. Take some out, you've removed Harvard, now look into choosing between Northwestern/UChicago or Princeton/Yale, etc.</p>
<p>Well, I've visited the schools that are in California. Due to cost, I can't really visit the other places. At least not all of them. I could and will visit 2-3 schools in the spring if I have been admitted and am having trouble deciding.</p>
<p>I know I enjoyed Pomona's social atmosphere. The truth is, though, that I really believe that I can adjust to most types of atmospheres and that the social atmosphere won't play a huge part. (Am I completely fooling myself with this?)</p>
<p>My safeties, for the most part, are in UCs. I think you're right, though. I think I will take Northwestern and Rochester out.</p>
<p>Wow, you sound just like me XD. I feel that I could basically adjust anywhere so I had trouble narrowing down my list of schools too though I had around 15-20 including UCs. Thankfully, I managed to whittle it down to 12.</p>
<p>So, I've brought it down to the following list:
Oberlin College
Pomona College
Princeton University
Smith College
Stanford University
Yale University
Tufts University
Brown University
University of Chicago
Occidental College [not sure if I should take this out. I don't want to live 1 hour away from home. It's much too close]</p>
<p>I looked through some of the schools' profile on PR and CB, and have decided to take them out. I took out a few others that I felt weren't as well rounded.</p>
<p>No I mean they count as one set. At my D's HS they put a limit on the number of sets(2 letters of recommendation from teachers), but they told me they count the Common Application as one set. If a college is not using the Common Application then they have to send in another set and that is considered a second set.</p>
<p>Depending on your profile, I would advise you to remove Occidental from your list. It's not in the same league as the others academically, and UCs will provide a better value as a safety.</p>
<p>Oh, thanks for the explanation, TooRichForAid.</p>
<p>Frutiaspice: I don't know what your profile is like, but your schools are all pretty up there (like mine, haha). I'd recommend applying to UCI as a safety too, but I think you'll be fine. UCD would be a safety, probably, too. I'm completely guessing, though, because I don't know your profile.</p>
<p>Thanks, greennblue. I have taken it off of my list. I only put it on there because my employer attended there and boasted heavily about it, especially its engineering program, which he partook in. </p>
<p>After realizing it was in LA, I have easily decided to take it off my list. My parents would probably pressure me to stay at home if I went there, and I think it would be best to live on campus.</p>