How many colleges to apply to this year?

[Anonymous]

12 (It’s a lot but we need aid money)

[Anonymous]

My DS is doing 8. High GPA but not submitting scores. 3 reaches, 2 likelies, 3 safeties.

[Anonymous]

Surprised that most posters are applying to fewer than 10. Is it only high stats kids apply to 10+?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is down to 6. Only one reach. Will add more in January if things are looking grim. Frankly, would rather sit it out a year than go to some of the schools on original list.

PP, and this is our situation too. How would that ever work? Could DS feasibly not get into a desirable college, sit out a year and go to a community college and then re-apply next year to a desirable school?

Sure, but once he’s gone to a community college, he’d be applying as a transfer instead of gap year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Surprised that most posters are applying to fewer than 10. Is it only high stats kids apply to 10+?

The 1 safety people are nuts unless they applied to Itt and have an answer in hand. And you are fine wit your kid attending (I happen to like Pitt). Stuff happens. 1 safety, 1 match, 4 reaches, all in RD is crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I suggest 20+. This year will be tought.

Yikes. Aren't there application fees? They only need to be accepted by one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is doing 8. High GPA but not submitting scores. 3 reaches, 2 likelies, 3 safeties.

Same for us only 7. Most are safety/likely, a couple low reaches, and one actual reach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Surprised that most posters are applying to fewer than 10. Is it only high stats kids apply to 10+?

There’s a lot of gunner kids in the DMV. The average number of college applications for the whole country is 6

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Surprised that most posters are applying to fewer than 10. Is it only high stats kids apply to 10+?

My understanding is that many private schools (at least the Independent Schools) have a limit of 10 (and that was increased from 7 for some of them). For non-private school families, more than 10 would be expensive (and the advice we are getting from our public school is 3 safeties, 3-4 target/matches, 1-3 reaches), which gets you in the 7-10 range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Surprised that most posters are applying to fewer than 10. Is it only high stats kids apply to 10+?

My understanding is that many private schools (at least the Independent Schools) have a limit of 10 (and that was increased from 7 for some of them). For non-private school families, more than 10 would be expensive (and the advice we are getting from our public school is 3 safeties, 3-4 target/matches, 1-3 reaches), which gets you in the 7-10 range.

Not true. Our high stat child. 4.56 GPA Act 35( science 36, math 36), good EC applting to only 7 after got into Upitt. No ivy on the list, 2 reach other targets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Surprised that most posters are applying to fewer than 10. Is it only high stats kids apply to 10+?

My understanding is that many private schools (at least the Independent Schools) have a limit of 10 (and that was increased from 7 for some of them). For non-private school families, more than 10 would be expensive (and the advice we are getting from our public school is 3 safeties, 3-4 target/matches, 1-3 reaches), which gets you in the 7-10 range.

Not true. Our high stat child. 4.56 GPA Act 35( science 36, math 36), good EC applting to only 7 after got into Upitt. No ivy on the list, 2 reach other targets.

Forgot to mention in Public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Surprised that most posters are applying to fewer than 10. Is it only high stats kids apply to 10+?

My kid is a ~3.8 ('big3') ~1550 SAT and is applying to three and then will see what the landscape is in December after EA and ED's are in.

[Anonymous]

I think it's nice to apply to more than one safety. That way if the matches/reaches don't plan out, at least the kid feels like he has a choice.

[Anonymous]

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

Same. DD applying to 5 more after getting in at Pitt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I suggest 20+. This year will be tought.

Ridiculous and unnecessary. Your kid is still trying to finish high school.

Be more disciplined about creating a good list (which should be tight, as described above).

Status-driven parents consider this a lottery and just try to buy more tickets, ignoring what that says to their child about the acceptability of anything over T20.