Application limits- currently 10 asking for feedback

[Anonymous]

We are currently at a private school outside of the area. For years the school has had a 10 application limit that was strictly enforced. The goal is to have to kids put work into developing a really solid school target list (and minimize competition with each other too I am sure). For the past 2 years parents have been hearing stories about kids who got rejected from all 10 and that leading to a mad scramble to get a few more applications in to get acceptances.

The school is now asking for feedback from parents about the application limit.

I have a sophomore and a middle schooler, so I’ve just started watching this board. And I admit I’m worried. My sophomore DD is also starting to get worried, mostly through the stress on her older friends. I am trying to focus on there being a good fit school for everyone. We also talk about how top 50 school admission is more of a lottery than anything.

What is a reasonable application limit in this world?

[Anonymous]

If everyone stayed to ten or less it would be better for everyone, as in statistically the rates of admission go up overall when they have fewer applicants to review in the first place. I think the common application option should end to reduce the madness. It is not sustainable.

[Anonymous]

12 is a better limit.

[Anonymous]

I honestly think it really depends on your student and on how good the school counselors are at steering them in the right direction and managing expectations. If you have a kid who is wanting to apply to all T25 schools no matter what, then I really think you need more than 10 because those top stat kids are a dime a dozen and are all applying to the same schools. Likewise if you are chasing merit, you need to cast a wide net b/c there is really a spread of what schools offer. If you are able to come up with a really solid list that only has a couple reaches, several true targets and a couple likewise, then I think 10 is a very reasonable number. We are aiming for 12 schools. We will be OOS for all of them (all larger public schools in the south) and DS is a very average student (3.9/30ACT/5APs). We honestly have no idea what will happen at these schools and counselor agrees 12 is reasonable for him based on what is on his list. My nephew just finished the 2023 admissions process. Applied to 8 schools, denied by 2, admitted to 4 and WL to 2. Doesn't like the 4 he was admitted to and looking at his stats as the schools he applied to, he really did not get good feedback from school counseling and his parents are clueless so let him apply to random schools.

[Anonymous]

Last year my DC applied to 13. Accepted in April to ED school had been deferred from
This year my second DC was accepted ED so pulled EAs/RDs she had out there. She would have applied to 12 if not accepted ED.
For both, the process was self-limiting bc of the number of supplemental essays required

[Anonymous]

The first comparison colleges make between applicants is to compare those from the same school, So limiting apps protects kids with weaker stats from kids in the top 20% of the class from scooping up all the top 50 spots.

So increasing the number of schools kids can apply to is tricky for kids outside the top 20%. It may give them more options overall but it may also increase the competition from their own more impressive classmates.

[Anonymous]

For a maximum, I would say 15.

[Anonymous]

My DD did 13 and it was too many. I think 10 really well-researched schools is actually a good number, as long as they allow some flexibility for kids who get unexpected deferrals and rejections in the early action round.

[Anonymous]

With the crapshoot admissions has become, you need at least 15 if not more if you’re targeting top tier schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I honestly think it really depends on your student and on how good the school counselors are at steering them in the right direction and managing expectations. If you have a kid who is wanting to apply to all T25 schools no matter what, then I really think you need more than 10 because those top stat kids are a dime a dozen and are all applying to the same schools. Likewise if you are chasing merit, you need to cast a wide net b/c there is really a spread of what schools offer. If you are able to come up with a really solid list that only has a couple reaches, several true targets and a couple likewise, then I think 10 is a very reasonable number. We are aiming for 12 schools. We will be OOS for all of them (all larger public schools in the south) and DS is a very average student (3.9/30ACT/5APs). We honestly have no idea what will happen at these schools and counselor agrees 12 is reasonable for him based on what is on his list. My nephew just finished the 2023 admissions process. Applied to 8 schools, denied by 2, admitted to 4 and WL to 2. Doesn't like the 4 he was admitted to and looking at his stats as the schools he applied to, he really did not get good feedback from school counseling and his parents are clueless so let him apply to random schools.

+1

No way to answer your question, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The first comparison colleges make between applicants is to compare those from the same school, So limiting apps protects kids with weaker stats from kids in the top 20% of the class from scooping up all the top 50 spots.

So increasing the number of schools kids can apply to is tricky for kids outside the top 20%. It may give them more options overall but it may also increase the competition from their own more impressive classmates.

For this reason, I think the smarter approach would be to keep a limit on private colleges (which are more likely to engage in this kind of careful review), but go without a cap for state schools (which are more likely to admit on straight stats or very cursory review). This is effectively what the colleges themselves do when they say you can apply EA to state schools, but can’t apply ED/SCEA to other privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are currently at a private school outside of the area. For years the school has had a 10 application limit that was strictly enforced. The goal is to have to kids put work into developing a really solid school target list (and minimize competition with each other too I am sure). For the past 2 years parents have been hearing stories about kids who got rejected from all 10 and that leading to a mad scramble to get a few more applications in to get acceptances.

The school is now asking for feedback from parents about the application limit.

I have a sophomore and a middle schooler, so I’ve just started watching this board. And I admit I’m worried. My sophomore DD is also starting to get worried, mostly through the stress on her older friends. I am trying to focus on there being a good fit school for everyone. We also talk about how top 50 school admission is more of a lottery than anything.

What is a reasonable application limit in this world?

Depends on level of compliance at your school. When everyone is applying to 15+ the kids are all applying to the same schools and competing with each other. The same few kids will get multiple acceptances to all the top 20 schools because they look very similar but slightly different from the other kids from your school. This happened at my dcs school last year to the kids who had to go the RD round.

[Anonymous]

I don't think there should be a limit. DD applied to 4 schools (didn't have the stats for a top school, and wasn't looking for that), and wanted to stay in state. But I can imagine in a few years when DS is looking that he'll be less sure of what he wants and want to cast a wider net. For every kid who's applying to 15 schools, there are going to be kids who are applying to many fewer.

Now if the whole system wasn't so random, a 10 app limit would definitely make sense. But with the system as messed up as it is, it's kind of sh*tty to limit kids, who may have carefully crafted their lists and still end up shut out.

[Anonymous]

DD started off with an initial list of 20. After more visits and research, she narrowed it down and applied to 8 schools. Found one she loved and applied ED (also applied to a rolling admission school and EA's in case it didn't work out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If everyone stayed to ten or less it would be better for everyone, as in statistically the rates of admission go up overall when they have fewer applicants to review in the first place. I think the common application option should end to reduce the madness. It is not sustainable.

That works great for kids who don't have to compare merit.