<p>Everyone keeps saying that the more colleges you apply to the better chances you have (ie super selective schools). I may be wrong here, but that logically doesn't seem to make since. </p>
<p>If you apply to a bunch of selective schools you would still have about the same chance. </p>
<p>here is an example:</p>
<p>College 1: Applications 12,000 Acceptences 2,000
College 2: Applications 15,000 Acceptences 1,500
College 3: Applications 9,000 Acceptences 900</p>
<p>Okay so then out of all of the colleges you would have a 12% chance right?</p>
<p>If I am wrong correct me and explain, but I have seen threads saying that they have a 97% chance at the ivies because they simply added all the percentages.</p>
<p>Theoretically, yes, you're right. You can't statistically improve your chances by applying to more schools of similar selectivity because admissions is not random (although we may think it is). If you have a 1200 SAT, for example, you're not likely to get into any of the Ivies, even if you did apply to all eight. In reality, however, the most selective universities (Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, and MIT) do not always admit the same students. A Harvard reject may get into Yale (or vice versa). From that point of view, it makes sense to apply to more than one of these. Your best bet, however, is to make sure your application is outstanding.</p>
<p>Of course it doesn't add up to 97%. Whoever said that probably won't be getting into the ivy-caliber schools. </p>
<p>With that said, it all depends on your qualifications/resume. If the ivies are a HUGE reach for you (you have low SATs, low GPA, a not-so-rigorous curriculum, no ECs, etc.), applying to 15 will turn up the same result as applying to 1. If you're a competitive applicant, however, it can't hurt you to apply to more schools. It is true what warblersrule86 said. There is a certain chance/unknown factor to admissions at the ivy level. Applying to more schools might mean that you're more likely to strike a certain chord with admissions officials at one school even if all the other schools reject you. It's a concept that can't be quantified into a percentage, though.</p>
<p>They think of it like this:
Say you have a 10% chance at each of the 8 Ivy's. Assuming you only care about getting into at least ONE of these, then you could apply to all 8, with the logic that since the probably of all of them rejecting you is (1-.1)^8 = .43, the chances of you getting into at least ONE of them is 0.57.
However, the problem is you can't really say that each admission decision is independent. If Cornell rejects you, chances are, Harvard won't want you either (that is, most of the times).
However, strategically, if the thing you care about is to get into at least one of the Ivy's, then applying to all of them is not necessarily bad. </p>
<p>I don't see why you disagree with the logic of the conclusion. If there was any minimal degree of randomness in the admissions process, applying to more colleges of the same level would theoretically increase your chances of making one. Say you have a 50% chance of getting into any one given school, now you have an expected 50% chance of not getting into college if you apply to one while you have a 0.5*0.5 = 0.25% chance of not getting in if you apply to two since they would both have to reject you.</p>
<p>Of course this is strictly theoretical - the caveat is that as you begin to cross a brink (not a sharp brink, that is, but not linear) in college applications there will have to be emphasis on quantity over quality, and since college apps aren't that random or unpredictable, that is, they do value quality somewhat (so I hear), a balance is always best.</p>
<p>But we all know this, so I'm going to shut up now.</p>
<p>I didn't disagree with the conclusion, which is that the more u apply, the better. Btw, I just looked at frigging Harvard EA results from 2010, and MAN, they are frigging crazy over there.</p>
<p>if you have like 3.8 and 2100s then yea apply to like top 25 schools but if you have like a 3.0 and 1900s then i dont' think it matters how many you apply to. you'll probalby get a rejection from most of your schools so it is not worth 600 dollars applyin to 10 schools that'll reject you and then you'll have to spend all your time on those essays.</p>
<p>Just compare the cost of application to the cost of attendance and you will realize that the cost of applying to even 20 universities is insignificant.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Still application fees = wasted icecream money
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I like that :D</p>
<p>But yeah, when I was applying I used the same mentality that if I apply to 12 colleges that I'm bound to get into one, so yeah it worked for me, but it's the kind of thing where if you get accepted to one you're bound to get accepted to one of equal caliber, but yeah I would recommend it for those who are concerned with their college future like me, though I guess I really wasn't if eight of my college choices were reaches and two more were slight reaches/matches but whatever, I was more than happy the way things all turned out so.</p>