@ClaremontMom
"I think the key phrase is “I actually cared about”. I suspect most didn’t drop a choice at the top of their list. Or even if it was, the fact that they dropped it anyways kind of shows they didn’t care as much as they thought! "
Yes. For my d, she had a few on her list that we had not yet visited. The idea was to go ahead and fill out the app and then visit on a day when she does not have school here. They have a balance calendar at her school- so she has two week long spring break. Plus, if you combine long-distance visit with Presidents day (or some other day when there is no school), she could visit and miss minimal time from school. After realizing all the essay requirements for the 12 schools on her list, she decided to just apply to the 5 schools she had visited.
One thing to note is that she is a high stat student and would likely qualify for scholarships or honors programs at the schools on her list. So, it was not just a matter of doing the application essay. Each school had multiple essays and applications for honors programs, “Fellowship” programs, and scholarships. So, it seemed like each of the 5 schools she applied to had 3 applications tied to it. @KinglyBill- this is something that you might want to keep in mind when you make your list.