Would applying to multiple ivies decrease my shot?

Applying to College
1

Cornell is my dream school, I’ve visited and loved it and think i have a shot at getting in.

But, my grandfather went to Yale and my dad wants me to apply there, and I’ve been thinking about applying to Columbia because they are great for my planned major (even though I’m 99% sure I’ll be rejected.)

Should i pass up on these 2 to improve my shot at cornell, the only one i have a plausible chance at? I heard the ivies compare students who applied so they know whos applying to all just for the prestige and who’s applying to only 1 or 2, showing they’re actually interested…

2

They don’t know, or care, where else you’ve applied. If you are in the ballpark and want to be considered, apply.

3

If you are sure that Cornell is the school for you, apply ED.

4

Applying to all 3 is fine. They won’t find it odd even if they did know. Don’t worry.

5

As long as you have ample time to write strong supplemental essays for each school you apply to it is no problem.

6

Feel free to apply to Yale, Columbia, and Cornell. Your odds of getting into each of those schools are neither increased nor decreased by applying to the others. But please, please, please realize that these schools are reaches even for the most qualified. Apply to other colleges where you have a more realistic chance of getting in (the classic mix of reach, match, and safety). CC is littered with the disappointment of students who only applied to Ivy League and other top schools, without paying enough attention to how hard it is to get in. Make a good list of colleges where any one of them will make you happy (happiness is based overwhelmingly more on fit than on any concept of prestige or “the highest ranked school I got into”).

7

All those schools have 30,000 plus applicants. They don’t compare. It’s more important that you put your effort into presenting the best version of yourself for your top choice. You should apply ED.

BTW, legacy is no longer the hook it once was, and if a student applies RD, if might not give any advantage at all.

8

A couple more comments:

  1. I would only apply ED to Cornell if 1) it is absolutely your top choice school and 2) the school appears affordable after running the net price calculator and you have no need to compare financial offers.

  2. How a legacy counts in the RD round is dependent on the school. I know Penn only counts legacy in the ED round but I have the sense (but absolutely no way to confirm) that my friends kids were given a legacy bump in the RD round at other Ivys. I would try to check each school’s policy.

9

Have you heard of those kids who got accepted to all 8 Ivy schools? :wink:

10

I’ve got a few safeties and a couple matches lined up, i know that my chances at ivies are terrible! i just wanted to try and boost them for the school i like the most, thanks for the help everyone!

11

Applying to multiple Ivys makes sense if you can prepare strong essays and applications for each college. If not, save the application fees

12

it sounds like you should apply early to Cornell since for you it is a clear #1, but applying to the others RD if you get deferred isn’t going to impact your application to Cornell at all.