Applying to 20 schools, crazy or not?

[Anonymous]

If you had asked me last year I would have said crazy, but I don’t think it is anymore.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it's crazy.

[Anonymous]

Nope! Every school you apply to increases your chances of acceptance.

[Anonymous]

Do you really think you’ll just get into 1?

[Anonymous]

Crazy. Make better, more focused choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's crazy.

Agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Crazy. Make better, more focused choices.

What’s your thinking here? Why not open up to more opportunity?

[Anonymous]

If you can afford it, OK. My kid is applying to 12 schools. Already has an acceptance (Pitt), so that's reassuring, even though she hasn't finished her RD applications yet!

Why do you need 20 schools? My kid is fairly high stats, but we're a donut hole family, so are looking for merit aid. If we didn't need merit, DD would apply to fewer schools, 10 max, more likely 8, which is plenty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you really think you’ll just get into 1?

Don’t know! I don’t know my chances because it’s so random. But I know my chances are higher with every app I put in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crazy. Make better, more focused choices.

What’s your thinking here? Why not open up to more opportunity?

Because it takes a lot of time to apply to all those schools. Are you visiting 20 colleges? Often interest makes a difference, so you have to at least do virtual visits.

Why not narrow it down? 20 colleges is unfocused. If your kid wants to spend all that time, well, no reason not to, but it seems a silly waste of time and money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope! Every school you apply to increases your chances of acceptance.

No, it doesn't. Each school makes its own decision. Unless you are applying to mostly safeties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you can afford it, OK. My kid is applying to 12 schools. Already has an acceptance (Pitt), so that's reassuring, even though she hasn't finished her RD applications yet!

Why do you need 20 schools? My kid is fairly high stats, but we're a donut hole family, so are looking for merit aid. If we didn't need merit, DD would apply to fewer schools, 10 max, more likely 8, which is plenty.

True, hard to say why 20. Also hard to say why 10. Except 20 gives me a better chance than 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you really think you’ll just get into 1?

Don’t know! I don’t know my chances because it’s so random. But I know my chances are higher with every app I put in.

Not true at all.

Your chances are different at each college. And they're better when you're more focused and demonstrate interest in the schools. They do want students who want to attend their school.

You could get shut out of 20 schools.

Better to focus on 10 good fit schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope! Every school you apply to increases your chances of acceptance.

No, it doesn't. Each school makes its own decision. Unless you are applying to mostly safeties.

Each application is another lottery ticket.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you really think you’ll just get into 1?

Don’t know! I don’t know my chances because it’s so random. But I know my chances are higher with every app I put in.

Not true at all.

Your chances are different at each college. And they're better when you're more focused and demonstrate interest in the schools. They do want students who want to attend their school.

You could get shut out of 20 schools.

Better to focus on 10 good fit schools.

Why 10? I think schools care most about GPA and SAT scores. I’ll keep rolling the dice as many times as I can.