How many colleges to apply to this year?

[Anonymous]

It sounds like last year, kids were (on average) applying to more schools than in past years (because of covid unknowns and other things like waived application fees).
How many will your child apply to this year?
What does his/her high school recommend?
Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Mine is applying to 10. I have no idea if that’s too many or too few. He’s got two reaches, three safeties and 5 matches, but who the hell knows what that even means anymore.

[Anonymous]

Mine is similar; applying to 11. One true reach, three high matches/low reaches, three matches, three safeties.

[Anonymous]

Mine has 10. None are true reaches/ lottery schools. She’s already in at Pitt. She’ll have good options.

[Anonymous]

Mine is applying to 10. 2 are reaches. I don't know how many are really "safe" with all of them being test optional. We're opting to submit scores to all but the reaches, even if they are on the lower side (25th percentile). We're UMC white family; I fear not submitting scores is too risky.

School suggests 10-12, equally divided between reach, target, and safe.

Only one of the schools is a low cost application fee at $25. Fees go up to $80. I think most are $60+.

[Anonymous]

I think we're down to 7 for DS.

2 are safeties, one ED on a dream school (reach), and the other four range from target to bit of a reach. I hope that's enough. But I don't think I can handle any more than this!

[Anonymous]

School counselor and private college consultant said to do ten which I think is seven too many. Hopefully she gets into EA school and we save the money on the other nine.

[Anonymous]

DS applying to six. Cut out a few after getting in at Pitt.

[Anonymous]

I suggest 20+. This year will be tought.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like many of us got the same recommendations--I think about 9-10. One reach (but not lottery school) for ED; three safeties; 3-4 others (target/reach)...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like last year, kids were (on average) applying to more schools than in past years (because of covid unknowns and other things like waived application fees).
How many will your child apply to this year?
What does his/her high school recommend?
Thanks.

Last year's uncertainty and increase in apps was in part due to test optional policies. Most colleges are still test optional, so this year will be similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like last year, kids were (on average) applying to more schools than in past years (because of covid unknowns and other things like waived application fees).
How many will your child apply to this year?
What does his/her high school recommend?
Thanks.

Last year's uncertainty and increase in apps was in part due to test optional policies. Most colleges are still test optional, so this year will be similar.

Sure. But last year colleges didn’t know whether kids without scores had bad scores or couldn’t get scores. This was, they absolutely could get scores. If they choose not to submit them, then they are low. It’s a lot less uncertainty.

[Anonymous]

8

Last year's stories were a wake up call. Lots of kids threw money away applying to schools they never had a shot at.

DS is applying to 2 reaches, 2 likelies an 4 in target. Of those, a couple require no additional essays. Keeping things realistic is the right path for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like last year, kids were (on average) applying to more schools than in past years (because of covid unknowns and other things like waived application fees).
How many will your child apply to this year?
What does his/her high school recommend?
Thanks.

Last year's uncertainty and increase in apps was in part due to test optional policies. Most colleges are still test optional, so this year will be similar.

Sure. But last year colleges didn’t know whether kids without scores had bad scores or couldn’t get scores. This was, they absolutely could get scores. If they choose not to submit them, then they are low. It’s a lot less uncertainty.

Agree that if they choose not to submit, then the scores are low. But, colleges may have enjoyed the extra freedom to choose whoever they want without having to worry about an otherwise desirable applicant's low score. My suspicion is that this year will be very much like last - I guess we'll see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like last year, kids were (on average) applying to more schools than in past years (because of covid unknowns and other things like waived application fees).
How many will your child apply to this year?
What does his/her high school recommend?
Thanks.

Last year's uncertainty and increase in apps was in part due to test optional policies. Most colleges are still test optional, so this year will be similar.

Sure. But last year colleges didn’t know whether kids without scores had bad scores or couldn’t get scores. This was, they absolutely could get scores. If they choose not to submit them, then they are low. It’s a lot less uncertainty.

Agree that if they choose not to submit, then the scores are low. But, colleges may have enjoyed the extra freedom to choose whoever they want without having to worry about an otherwise desirable applicant's low score. My suspicion is that this year will be very much like last - I guess we'll see.

Sure. If by desirable, you mean hooked. Colleges love getting 1st Gen, URMs, Athletes and kids from rural ND without having to count their scores. Now, if your kid is like mine, and a white or Asian kid from the DMV with strong grades, 10 APs and impressive ECs, why would they take the kid with no score (read low score) over the 34/1500? The 34/1500 is more of a sure thing academically and has tes scores that raise the school average.

Your LAX captain, piano and flute playing, 10 AP, 4.xxx GPA, impressively summer enriched kid is just not that special in the DMV.