<p>While there are a large number of contridicory pieces of advice for you to weigh, I would submit the following:</p>
<p>1.) The number of schools that a student applies to DEPENDS ON THAT STUDENT. Depending of statistics, certain top schools are more of a reach, and thus the list will increase as the number of mid-level schools rise. Some students can put the time and have the ability to accomplish a large number of applications while others can not.</p>
<p>2.) The level of the schools matter. For those looking at in-state schools exclusively (Not you, I know), then 1 or 2 applications is fine. For someone who wants to apply to most of the Ivies and Top LACs, then they automatically have 10 or more schools with no safeties (and really no matches, they are all so difficult to gain admission).</p>
<p>3.) MONEY. If you are looking for Need based aid, than a balance has to be struck with schools that have low acceptance rates/high endowments and schools that have high acceptance rates/low endowments.</p>
<p>For merit aid, another level of schools akin to safeties but with the possibility for money kicks in.</p>
<p>My advice to you is to apply to ALL of the colleges that you love, many that you like, and one or two safeties. Prioritize until January 1st by importance to you, difficulty (as some safety schools may not require long apps and perfect essays), and deadline (Some mid-level schools accept post-January 1st deadlines). You may even get lucky and find schools that require little or nothing in the way of a supplement.</p>
<p>This is YOUR FUTURE. Don't skimp on it. Make sure that you will be accepted and able to afford at least one school with 99.9% certainty. Then, work with the time you have left. Regardless, for many of us, this Christmas break won't be a break at all.</p>
<p>Nickleby,
I agree completely with the first thing you said. Originally, I had thought that over half my schools were reach schools; but now, after getting deferred from my dream school, I'm starting to wonder if I'll be able to get in anywhere. I think I may have to apply to all 15 to be sure I get into at least one. THIS SUCKS!!! :(</p>
<p>I read something by a GC who analyzed the probability that students would get accepted when the number of colleges they were applying to was considered.</p>
<p>He found that the more colleges that an individual student applied to, the lower the number of total acceptances the student was likely to get. This appears to be because students with high numbers of applications were able to put less time into perfecting each application or into selecting colleges that met their needs.</p>
<p>Applying to zillions of reach schools doesn't seem to up one's chances of acceptances. This is particularly true if one is a relatively weak candidate. Far better to apply to a couple of reaches, and to then make sure that one applies to some matches and safeties that one would be delighted to go to.</p>
<p>Of course, those who apply to many colleges are usually going to be applying to harder colleges. Almost NO ONE can be assured of an acceptance into Harvard, Yale, or Princeton, but by applying to all three, the chances can be increased. For harder schools, the process has many arbitrary elements that can only be overcome by multiple applications.</p>
<p>RE highly selective college admission is so random. My relative, competitive private school was class salutarian/3 sport varsity team captain/hispanic was defered ED by Harvard and ultimately rejected RD, accepted Brown, waitlisted Stanford, rejected UC Berkeley, accepted USC, accpeted Harvey Mudd. He graduated from Princeton a couple of years ago.</p>
<p>15 seems a tad much. 9 or 10 is good, imo--with UC's counting as one.</p>
<p>I've read stuff similar to what Northstarmom posts: fewer applications but better targeted and better executed seem to pay off more. One of the more common reasons for lots of apps is not enough attention paid to "fit," too much attention paid to "prestige," which is Fool's Gold.</p>
<p>I really don't see why you would need any more than 6 schools, which is a lot, and seven max. 2 Safety type schools that you are sure you will get into, and are a last resort, but you still like them. 2 match schools which you think you have a good shot to get into, you think you should get into them, but you are not 100% positive as with the safeties, and then 2 reach schools which you think will be hard to get in, and if you get in you might consider yourself very lucky and fortunate. You have to ask yourself do you really like all of those other schools you are applying to if you are applying to 15, do you want to take the time and write 30 essays, and get teacher recs for all of them. I was going to apply to 5 schools (2 reach: Cornell and CMU; 2 Match: UVa and Virginia Tech; and one safety: George Mason), but luckily i was accepted to Cornell early decision. I liked all of those 5 schools though and had really no interest in any others. Also why apply to so many schools if you can only get into one, wouldn't you be feeling bad if you got into 8 of them and then since you can only go to one you would be taking someones spot who actually liked that school. In my opinion 15 is way to much, b/c how can you like all those schools and it really isn't fair to take a spot away from a person who truly likes the school, but b/c of you gets waitlisted. Your decision though.</p>
<p>Virtually all of the most select college still have supplementary material for you to fill out. The more that your essays and your GC and references can show on that material what you have to offer an individual school, the stronger your chances will be. In addition , your GC and other references only have so much time. They will not have the time to go the distance to make extra calls or provide very targeted info for 15 applications for one student. They may be able, though, to do this for one or two applications for a favored student.</p>
<p>If you do it right, with strong parental assistance of clerical nature, it is possible to do 15 high quality apps. At some schools counselors are glad to accommodate your 15 apps. In county-wide and cross-town rivalries, counselors look forward to one-upping other schools by proudly and publicly brandishing the number of senior acceptances and the total amount of "scholarships" - both real and extrapolated.</p>
<p>"f you do it right, with strong parental assistance of clerical nature, it is possible to do 15 high quality apps."</p>
<p>The clerical work is a pain, but is the easiest part of the applications. The hardest and most important part is doing things like answering the supplemental essays and short answers in a way that shows exactly why you want to go to the college and what you have to offer to the college. This takes a fair amount of research (eg examining thoroughly college's web pages, finding out about professors' research, talking to alum and students) and thought.</p>
<p>For instance, Harvard, Yale and Columbia are all Ivies, but they pride themselves on different things. A student who answers (as did my older son) on Columbia's supplemental material that they are applying to Columbia "because it is in New York" isn't likely to impress adcoms as much as would a student who had taken the time to find out specifics about Columbia and how those specifics fit into his/her desires for college. S's bland answer helped earn him a rejection.</p>
<p>A one-size-fits-all application sent to 15 highly competitive schools may earn no acceptances while 2-3 very focused applications sent to highly competitive colleges may earn 1-3 acceptances.</p>
<p>If you can do 15 highly focused applications, then go for it. However, most students do not have that kind of time and energy, and don't have counselors who can give full support to so many applications. Few students, too, are extremely interested in 15 colleges for reasons that would go beyond the superficial such as simply wanting to go to a top 25 college.</p>
<p>Northstarmom, your points are well taken. I posted to point out that it is eminently doable. It takes long-range planning. A member of '08 that I know did it and got into everything from HYP on down with nary a hitch. If you are going to atttempt to do this, planning begins well before the college app season. Unique and college-specific essays were a cinch for this person. Not everyone can do this right.</p>
<p>you guys are so right!!! i think i'm gonna spend most of today narrowing down the list...thanks for all of your help...especially you, NSM, through everything!!! :)</p>
<p>Check how much extra work there is. Some schools, such as Princeton, have a significant amount of work. Others have one or no additional essays, just more paperwork and an application fee. If you can do that, then go for it.</p>
<p>How about you start at the top of your list, and see how far you can get down.</p>
<p>I've been printing out applications, and have noticed that some schools have litle extra work. Swarthmore has just a short "Why Swarthmore" essay and the inclusion of a graded essay. Dartmouth may be the best, with only 4 or 5 descriptive words and a Peer recommendation in addition.</p>
<p>If Dartmouth is on your list, don't bother taking it off. Look at schools before eliminating them, it may take almost as much time to decide on where to apply than it would to apply to some of the schools (although it still costs $$$).</p>
<p>Well, I personally find 15 too much and its mainly an issue with the fees involved, but hey, if you are willing to send the money go right ahead. I think about 8 is a good number. That is what I recommend for most poeple. I was only going to do 4 though, but since I got ED acceptence I won't even have to waste that extra money.</p>
<p>Would you tell us 1) which schools you want to apply to 2) overall preference and 3) any additional essays/materials besides common app stuff each college requires? Also, would the cost of application fees be an issue?</p>
<p>i dont even kno how many im applying to , just trying to finish the apps on time...</p>
<p>i think 15 is fine, but really think about it if theyre all reaches...what would you do if you get accepted into all of them? where would you go? focus on 5-8 and see if you can drop some just to save some money...i was applying to some i didnt even want to go to, and then i realized i would just be spending time and money on something i didnt want....</p>
<p>but im a procastinator so i doesnt matter how many i apply to, theyre all last minute...which sucks...a lot</p>