Come’on tell us where she’s going…
@NEPatsGirl - she will attend Bowdoin…
Nice work! We also cast a wide net and were called crazy more than a few times lol but in the end were able to meet the goal we set (ours was financial-based). Unlike you though, we found it a bit stressful. Congrats to your daughter.
You did this to yourself. I only applied to three schools in total and I’m okay for now
@notarobot124 - are you addressing the OP? @NEPatsGirl and I are happy with our processes and results - while you are “okay for now” with yours…but it is not clear to whom your comment is directed…
@SpikeyMike13 yes, that was directed at OP
Re Spikey’s comments about safeties: I think very few people would consider a school with a 40% admit rate a safety. even with high stats, especially considering yield protection.
Safeties are schools that admit 60%+ AND you’re above the 75th percentile in test scores AND you know you can afford. The best safeties are those with auto-admit policies.
Not trying to start an argument, just trying to help people applying in the future. No school that admits less than 50% of its applicants should ever be considered a sure thing.
@notarobot124 @SpikeyMike13 Once again, THIS. IS. NOT. A. COMPETITION. How in the world can you say “Oh I’m a better person because I applied to less/same amount of schools than you did and I had a better time! Ha ha!” Does that really make you (or your child) better? But in all honesty, congratulate your daughter for me @SpikeyMike13, Bowdoin is a good school.
And @notarobot124, I am an actual FUNCTIONING HUMAN BEING who knows how to process the consequences of any mistake I made. I understand what I did wrong. Why do you think I made this thread?
This isn’t something to argue about. To each their own. Read my response to Anonymoose’s comment. I don’t want to reiterate myself.
For a narrow segment of applicants, I think a wide net is useful. @SpikeMike13 's daughter is a great example, and she has a great opportunity next year because of it. I don’t think he was trying to compete, OP. I think he was pointing out that, if planned well, a large number of apps can potentially yield a good result for an unhooked student.
OP, you are correct IMO that 12 is plenty for the vast majority of applicants, and getting the essays done in the summer is key. Thanks for posting.
@MidwestDad3 I’m the first person in my family to apply to college in America. There is enormous pressure from my family to get into a good school, as I am the oldest child in my family, and my brother cannot compete with his peers academically. My school is large (so counselors are booked to the brim within the first week of school, hence why I sought outside help), and the course I’m taking are some, if not the most, of the most rigorous my top 100 HS offers.
Bottom line is, everyone has a different HS experience and college app process. If people go to different HS’s, it’s not right to compare one student’s experience to another. I’m happy for everyone after this application season, and I wish them all the best, but I don’t want the process of creating an “ideal college app process” into a competition.
Hopefully when you apply to transfer next year, as you indicate in another thread that you will be doing, you will follow the advice you initially posted.
@TomSrOfBoston Yes, I have learned from my mistakes. And the transfer thing is just prospective at the moment, I might just stick with a dual-degree program (with another school) that my college has.
@lz57c4, just to follow up, I used my D’s parchment.com acceptance rates to determine safety/reach/etc. Her 4 safeties all had acceptance rates of 48-74% (to elaborate on “40+%”), but for her, parchment.com said 99-100% - so we considered them safeties. She was admitted with merit to all 4. First time through the wringer, but things worked out fine in the end, by luck or by design, you never really know…
@lz57c4, just to follow up, I used my D’s parchment.com acceptance rates to determine safety/reach/etc. Her 4 safeties all had acceptance rates of 48-74% (to elaborate on “40+%”), but for her, parchment.com said 99-100% - so we considered them safeties. She was admitted with merit to all 4. First time through the wringer, but things worked out fine in the end, by luck or by design, you never really know…