<p>Out of my college list at the moment, I have 12 schools. 2 safties, 2 matches, and a whopping 8 reaches. </p>
<p>Is this too much? </p>
<p>I just love all my reaches a lot, and although I wouldn't really mind attending my safties/matches, it would be amazing if I could attend one of my reaches. (unfortunately, they're all mostly impossible reaches seeing as they are top 10-20 universities and I have mediocre grades/ECS though okay SATs) </p>
<p>Should I not apply to so many reaches and waste the effort/money? Because although people say I'm being too idealist and whatnot, it all comes down to the "numbers"...</p>
<p>Well, I guess I'd have to know about your ECs and grades and scores and things to know for sure. However, if you are not completely out of range and you can put time and dedication into your applications, there's a good change you'll be admitted to at least one of your dream schools. This should be only if you're willing to spend the money and you are prepared to face a lot of rejection. Also, make sure you really are happy with your safety schools.</p>
<p>If you can afford it and they take the Common App, go for it. If not, cut back. Add 2 more matches, take off 3 reaches, and you're probably better.</p>
<p>Consider what you really want in a school. Visit more.</p>
<p>Why not give it a shot? I applied to a bunch of reaches and will be attending onw in the fall. Honestly, applying to a few more schools isn't that difficult. Many don't even charge application fees if you apply online. Good luck!</p>
<p>Yeah, it would probably depend on the stats themselves. But if you have the time and the money, you should go for it. As has been already stated, chances are you could get into one of your reach schools. My suggestion would be to take out a couple of the less dreamlike reach schools, or the ones that seem like impossible reaches, and add a couple more safeties/matches. Apply EA to a few of your reach schools, and you have a good shot at getting into at least one, as long as your stats aren't abysmal.</p>
<p>3.7weighted/2200SAT/700+SATIIs/3 C+'s in Physics, AP Euro, & Honors Algebra II/only major EC is my art portfolio/award(s) & community work. </p>
<p>That's basically my high school career summed up into a sentence. </p>
<p>My reaches are -
Williams College
Tufts University
Wesleyan University
Brandeis Univesity
Boston College
UMichigan
UChicago
Cornell (Architecture)</p>
<p>... yes. And before you tell me how seemingly diverse and so forth my list is, I've visited them all and spent countless hours trying to figure out which I disliked the least in attempts to persuade myself to drop one, but it hasn't worked thusfar. :(</p>
<p>You seem to have a pretty good shot at most of those schools. If you can afford it, applying to quite a few reaches is a really good idea for a lot of reasons. Like if you get in everywhere you applied, you'll probably regret not having applied to anywhere more selective. And, if you're appling for financial aid, having a bunch of better offers from as good/better schools than the one you want to attend can really pressure them to give you more money. However, I would suggest applying to a few more match/safety schools, like Colgate (very similar to Cornell except much smaller, and their application was free as of last year, other than the price of having test scores sent).</p>
<p>precocious, we're in pretty much the same boat. On my college list I literally have 1 safety, 2 good matches (which are even a little high for me), and the rest are all reaches (I have even sub-catagorized them into "Big reach" and "Sorta reach"). We even have a couple of the same schools on our lists. Whatever... my safety is a state school (Rutgers NB) and I really like the town and that it's really diverse and I can study basically anything there. There's pretty much a 75% chance I'll end up there because of finances, anyway. So I figure I might as well go all out with the rest of the schools and take my chances on places I love. I've spent hours and hours researching the other schools on my list, and I love them all... and my parents don't mind paying the application fees, so I'll aim high.</p>
<p>Your GPA is fine for U-Michigan, the only school on your list I have any experience with, I think it's a 3.8 average there, and the SATs are really good. Since it is a public institution, ECs don't matter as much. If you have a good number of community service hours, you should be fine. If you're instate, you're in good shape.</p>
<p>I don't think all your REACH schools are "impossible" at all. Your GPA/w and SAT scores are fine, if not superlative, and put you into a competitive space. If your art portfolio is good (samples on CD), it may be worthwhile to make contact with Art/Studio Art departments at these schools. Did you by chance do this when you visited each of these schools? It's a valuable time to make contact with professors, talk with students and ask questions of everybody. Also for each of these private colleges, determine what EACH school deems to be "very important" factors for admission (e.g., teacher recommendations and essays). Do everything that you can to develop/enhance your essays and work with your teachers to make sure that you get an outstanding recommendation (have your "brag sheet" prepared for these teachers, as well as your Guidance Counselor).</p>
<p>Here are my thoughts, based on what information you provided:</p>
<p>Williams College - Slight REACH
Tufts University - Weak MATCH
Wesleyan University - MATCH
Brandeis Univesity - Weak MATCH
Boston College - Weak MATCH to Slight REACH
UMichigan - MATCH (Rolling Admission)
UChicago - REACH
Cornell (Architecture) - REACH</p>
<p>Good luck! (BTW, good job on fitting in visits to all of these schools!)</p>
<p>Wow, that's crazy, when I was applying I also had eight matches, two reaches, and two safeties, actually that's pretty insane, but yeah, good luck with everything I'm sure you'll do fine, just make sure you'll be happy with every place on your list and the all should be okay.</p>
<p>Make sure you can afford to pay full price (over $42,000/year) at most of your reaches. Otherwise don't bother to apply to so many (unless you qualify for lots of financial aid, which I'm sure you and your parents have already figured out, right?). You may get into one or two but you probably won't qualify for any merit money. Many on your list give no merit money, and certainly none gives generously even to their TOP students.</p>