<p>I'm a rising senior and the thought of college applications looms ahead...So far I have my list, and I'm not looking to increase the number of colleges I'm considering. My question is, what is the best way to cut down your list? </p>
<p>Right now I'm at 18 colleges and I couldn't imagine interviewing and doing supplements for all of them!!!</p>
<p>What is helping me narrow down my list is comparing the schools. If I know how great a certain program is at X college and it happens to be a safety, is it worth it to apply to a college that’s a match/reach with a worse program in my intended fields of study? Do the benefits outweigh the costs? I crossed off two schools that way.</p>
<p>And then I looked at the settings of the campuses. There is a chance I might live by a college I graduate from if I make connections and network enough. Even if you don’t, will you be okay with a certain setting for 4 (or more) years? Would you be happy with those proffesors for 4 years? Will you be happy with the students the colleges attract for 4 years?<br>
Some colleges may be cut-throat competitive; some may lack academic ambition in general as oposed to your ideal campus. </p>
<p>If you are into internships or research opportunities, you can look up the percentage of students participating in those programs to compare the schools, too. </p>
<p>Just a few suggestions. Good luck!</p>
<p>Eliminate any which have no chance of being affordable (net price calculator for need-base aid; check scholarship page for merit scholarships).</p>
<p>Eliminate any which you would not choose under any circumstances over your safety schools.</p>
<p>If money isn’t at issue, the best way is to apply ED or SCEA to your top choice and get in. Your second best option is to apply EA to a school you’d be happy to attend and get in, so you can avoid applying to any school not better than that one. You last option is to cut down your list so you have only 2 safeties (that are really safe - ie, affordable and you’d be happy there) and 3 reaches (that are such a good fit that no one would think you were applying just for the prestige). With 6 matches, you are at 11. Add one or two at most that you can’t bear to give up and you’re set.</p>
<p>If you are not applying to an ED or restricted single choice EA program that restricts other early applications, then you can try applying early to all schools that have non-restrictive EA or rolling admissions. Any acceptances with sufficient financial aid become safeties; this may allow you to eliminate applying to any other schools which you would not choose over the early acceptances.</p>
<p>M’sMom, I like your strategy but it strikes me that someone who’s struggling to cut down a list of 18 may not be in a position to commit to an ED choice.</p>
<p>Strategy suggestion 1. For the rest of the summer take a day for each school and walk around telling yourself “I’m going to XYZ U.” You might find that some schools don’t “fit” when you try wearing them.</p>
<p>Strategy suggestion 2. Group your schools by Safety, Match and Reach (be brutally honest). Set a goal of how many schools from each group you want (my recommendation is 2 safety, 4-5 match, 2 reach, but YMMV). Then remorselessly compare and contrast the schools within each group. Cost. Geography. Distance. Major. Size. Diversity. Intangibles. Rank them then whittle away. </p>
<p>Strategy 3. Three bags - Safety, Match & Reach. Put the names of the schools in the appropriate bag. Draw from the bags until you have the pre-decided number of colleges. If all 18 of your schools truly are interchangeable then any will do.</p>
<p>I just visited a lot of mine and found that I didn’t like some of them, or I did but not nearly as much as others. When I found that I just deleted them.</p>
<p>1)Visit as many school as possible. Both of my kids eliminated some of the schools we visited from their list for various reasons (didn’t like the campus, didn’t like the vibe, didn’t like the size, didn’t like the location etc.) If you can’t visit all the schools, try to visit different “types” of schools (ex. LAC/state flagship/mid-size school, rural/urban school) and see if that helps you to narrow down your list.<br>
2)Make sure the schools you are left with meet your criteria – ex. location (if you want to be within a certain distance of home); if you want a certain major etc.
3)And yes, I agree with others to list reach, match, safety and apply accordingly
4)(and certainly not least) include some schools you know will be financially viable for your family.</p>
<p>I like your advice happy1 but would go even further on your 4) Include only schools that would be financially viable for your family.</p>
<p>Find a safety and remove any schools you wouldn’t go to over your safety</p>