Only applying to 2-3 schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC has a major in mind that very few schools offer and none are at the super competitive schools. Their first choice is the most competitive of the bunch and will most likely ED there. Their second choice is a school with rolling admissions and is a true safety which isn't popular with the DCUM crowd. The third choice school would be a local state school which doesn't have the exact major but is major adjacent and is also a safety. There are other schools they could apply to but they would be applying just to apply. Assuming they apply early to the rolling school and get a favorable notification before the ED school, is there a reason to apply to more schools just to apply?

If the student has visited all 3 schools, then there is no need to add additional schools if accepted early.

[Anonymous]

Funny when I look back - I applied to ONE school, got in because it was not overly selective, went there, graduated, went on to grad school, started a career and am happily living my life

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Waste of $$.

+100

It takes bravery not to fall into the traps everyone else sets for themselves. I admire your child and your thinking about this.

[Anonymous]

Hey, if DD had VCU at the top of the list, due to the guaranteed admission she’d only be submitting one app! In reality I think there are about 6 schools currently on the list, 2 safeties, 2 (high) matches and 2 reaches. I’d love to see a more reasonable match school but my kid is actually ok with going to NVCC for a year or two and then transferring if that’s what it takes to get where she wants to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My concern would be about limiting themselves to a very specific major. Some high schoolers think they need to have a major that is as specific as possible. In some cases this may be helpful or possibly even necessary, but in others it might be overly limiting.

I'd also make sure that they're applying to schools they'd want to attend even if they switched majors. A lot can change even over the next year, before making a final decision, and it's even more likely for them to change their minds over the next two to three years, once they're taking college classes.

Good advice here.

[Anonymous]

If your child gets in early decision, then it's fine to apply to one. If your child does not get in, I think you might want to apply to a few more. Strange things happen and a "true safety" one year isn't necessarily so the next.