If my kid is 99% likely to accept to a school, should she withdraw applications to reach schools? Someone close to family said she should, b/c then it gives another kid a chance to get in. However, I understand waiting and just wanting to know if she got in, even if she is pretty sure those reach schools can’t match the financial offer she has gotten. I kind of feel like that is her business. On schools she knows she isn’t attending, she has notified them. I’ve read on CC people say there is no obligation to let any school know, but I feel like if they have offered you a scholarship, it is considerate.
I would not withdraw unless I was 1000% percent sure there was zero chance of attending the school. That is not the case. In addition, at this point decision are made and withdrawing won’t help anyone. Leave the application in and see what happens.
And while it is not necessary, it is good practice to let a school know that you will not be attending. It is quick to do and it reflects well on the student as well as the HS.
Wait and review all acceptances and financial aid packages before making a decision. You never know what will happen.
You paid for the ticket (application fee) so you can stay on the ride. Your daughter is not taking a spot from someone else because it is not a one-for-one acceptance system. It is highly likely that if your daughter withdrew today the number of acceptances issued tomorrow would be exactly the same. If 20 people withdrew today, the pool would be the same size tomorrow. If they want to let more people into the acceptance pool, they’ll come off the waitlist.
That other kid will have the same chance to get into the school when your daughter declines her spot at the school.
Thank you! I felt kind of crappy about it, but you all make much better sense!
People will guilt you with the “it opens up a space for someone else” routine. It doesn’t. Love how @twoinanddone said it. My less mature attitude is that the kids had to wait all this time for a lot of the school’s decisions, now the schools can wait on them. 
I think it is fine. Occasionally financial aid will be surprising in a good way. Having choices in April is good, too.
You’re presenting two different scenarios. If there’s a financial aid scenario where your kid will choose that school then it is not tacky to wait it out. If one is doing it solely for the pride of the acceptance with 0 intention to matriculate, then yes, it is tacky.
They built that into their acceptances and yield rates, so you are under no obligation to do so until the deadline.
@luckymama64 Sounds like your D has handled it the right way. You said, “On schools she knows she isn’t attending, she has notified them.” On the reaches, you never know what $ aid your kid will get. Plus, you can use aid at one school to try to get more at another. Unless your D is just collecting trophies or is just curious about the others – which does not appear to be the case – I think you are handling it correctly.