High schools that limit apps
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Anonymous
They do it because they want kids to listen to their counseling and apply to the schools they actually have a chance of getting into. Some parents are mad because they think Larla has a chance at certain schools and should apply even though the counselors know the kid isn't competitive. Those mean counselors don't understand with their years of experience and expertise that we pay five figures for every year. |
Anonymous
Platinum donors don’t need more picks. Their application process runs through the college development office. |
Anonymous
OP’s kid is applying for merit. So theoretically schools that her child will easily get into. |
Anonymous
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They limit because selective colleges will only make a couple offers to a graduating class.
And the top 10 students could take up all the offers - and they can only attend one school each. This happened in graduating class above DC. Top three students applied to all top SLACs (Amherst, Swat, Bowdoin, Pomona, etc). And got offers - but kids chose legacy schools - parents went to top Ivies (HYP). So, next 25-30 ranked students get very few offers from top SLACs. And no one from school ended up at Pomona, Amherst, Williams, Bowdoin, etc. Not a good result for majority of students or for the school. And for those asking how I know….those dots in naviance are very telling. The other kids know and parents know. You are not anonymous on naviance - and god help a younger sibling following a kid who hoarded offers. And thought….“I just wanted to see if I could get in” but never intended to attend - has consequences in a private school with a graduating class of 100 to 200. OP, if you go in and say you are going for schools that offer merit, counselors will help. And tipy top schools don’t offer merit - but offer grants for lower income families - nothing for families in middle. But merit is offered to great students at Maclester, Oberlin, Kenyon. These are great schools but not tipy top schools. And these type of schools will make half dozen offers to a graduating class. Counselors will probably help you identify best schools to go for merit. But this best done one on one with counselor. |
Anonymous
| Ugh. Naviance dots aren’t telling at my kids’ stem magnet with over 2000 students. This thread is amazing me happy my kids are at a public that lets them apply where they want. And also allows them to remain anonymous on Naviance. Yikes. |
Anonymous
| Our child’s private school provides so much individualized support for each student through the college counseling office. Application lists are really tailored and it’s not strategically necessary to apply to more than 10 schools. There’s no limit per se but they try to encourage really focused and thoughtful applications. And the reality is it works out well and kids land in the right places! |
Anonymous
| Our school allows more apps if you need merit. Quietly go to the CCO and discuss your situation. Most importantly, don’t discuss with other families and tell your kid not to discuss the number of apps with friends. You don’t want to piss off the CCO. Good luck. |
Anonymous
this happened at NCS last year. there were 3 girls who had GPAs close to 4 who applied to 20-25 schools. There was no chance that they were going to end up at 98% of the schools they applied to (they were each legacy at a HYP that they ended up attending) but in the process of applying to 25 schools for kicks they shut out the rest of the class from those schools (literally. Because most colleges are not going to take a kid with a 3.8+ who is at the 80-90% of the grade if there is a 3.99 who is at the 98% of the grade who also applies). As such there were no regular decision Ivy admits (outside of the top 3 girls) and no admits at most top20s (again outside of the top 3) This is the downside of applying from a small high school where there is a large GPA spread among kids who are all interested in strong colleges. Super high GPAs can really shut out lower GPAs. It's less pronounced in public because there are more kids at the same (high) GPA and what distinguishes them is extracurriculars, etc. at these privates there is far more diversity in GPA. You have smart kids (sat 1500+) who have GPAs that range from 3.5-4.0. |
Anonymous
| Op, does you school restrict only for private colleges or public as well? |
Anonymous
What happens if the kid is applying for music or theater, where the auditiona process usually requires a dozen or more applications? |
Anonymous
Agree!! |
Anonymous
This right here is why they restrict applications at GDS. NCS used to “unofficially” restrict applications prior to the pandemic (strongly discourage any more than 6-8). Test optional made things the Wild West for grade deflated schools like NCS and they eased up on application restrictions. |
Anonymous
The naviance dots are definitely telling at the large schools. The kids talk about their SAT scores and GPAs, especially the top kids. Middle level students don't, but the top 10% or so kids definitely do. (I have kids in both groups, at a very large high school) You can definitely look at the naviance chart and figure out roughly who the dots belong to at the top, especially knowing the acceptances |
Anonymous
| Our top private is unlimited. They in fact encourage more than 10 if reaching high and are in the top cluster of kids |
Anonymous
| ^Added to say they encourage fit and balance: no one applies to ALL ivies or ALL private T20s--that is actively discouraged because it makes no sense. Many of those top kids do have 4-5 ivies and other T15 privates, plus 3 match and 2-3 likely/safeties. Merit chasers apply to 15+ lower tier, and it is NBD |