Mistakes you made in the admissions process...

[Anonymous]

^even a list with 50% reaches is kind of pushing it actually...

[Anonymous]

We really haven’t found anything to be that complicated. Our DS narrowed his choices down to 4 schools. The first week of September he had all of the applications in and complete. It really took no time at all. Basically an afternoon. The applications were simple and none of the schools required an essay or recommendations, although for some they were optional. I never heard anything about interviews. All 4 acceptances came back within a week or three.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We really haven’t found anything to be that complicated. Our DS narrowed his choices down to 4 schools. The first week of September he had all of the applications in and complete. It really took no time at all. Basically an afternoon. The applications were simple and none of the schools required an essay or recommendations, although for some they were optional. I never heard anything about interviews. All 4 acceptances came back within a week or three.

If your kid had 4 positive responses and opted out of all essays, I suspect he or she pitched too low.

Or maybe not, if you are happy with those choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We really haven’t found anything to be that complicated. Our DS narrowed his choices down to 4 schools. The first week of September he had all of the applications in and complete. It really took no time at all. Basically an afternoon. The applications were simple and none of the schools required an essay or recommendations, although for some they were optional. I never heard anything about interviews. All 4 acceptances came back within a week or three.

interesting... so all 4 were rolling admission schools?

[Anonymous]

Just be happy with UVA and call it a day. Wasting all the time chasing an Ivy is honestly so pointless in retrospect.

—Ivy parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just be happy with UVA and call it a day. Wasting all the time chasing an Ivy is honestly so pointless in retrospect.

—Ivy parent

lol yeah right. you say that after you kid applied to the ivies and got into one. As if any top student would ever just settle for UVA...

[Anonymous]

If you need merit aid, establish your budget. Choose schools at which your child is in the top 25% of accepted freshmen. And, run the Net Price Calculator for each school.

Avoid the term "dream school." It sets you up for unrealistic expectations and disappointment, especially if you need merit aid. (See above.)

This is not an emotional decision - it is a business decision. You and your child will spend a lot of time and money on this degree. Be pragmatic and matter-of-fact.

There is no one right school for a given student. There are lots of good schools, and any number of them will provide your child with a great experience and the degree s/he wants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We really haven’t found anything to be that complicated. Our DS narrowed his choices down to 4 schools. The first week of September he had all of the applications in and complete. It really took no time at all. Basically an afternoon. The applications were simple and none of the schools required an essay or recommendations, although for some they were optional. I never heard anything about interviews. All 4 acceptances came back within a week or three.

If your kid had 4 positive responses and opted out of all essays, I suspect he or she pitched too low.

Or maybe not, if you are happy with those choices.

Those of us who need merit aid cannot have our kids apply to reach schools, which by definition won't award merit aid to a reach applicant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We really haven’t found anything to be that complicated. Our DS narrowed his choices down to 4 schools. The first week of September he had all of the applications in and complete. It really took no time at all. Basically an afternoon. The applications were simple and none of the schools required an essay or recommendations, although for some they were optional. I never heard anything about interviews. All 4 acceptances came back within a week or three.

If your kid had 4 positive responses and opted out of all essays, I suspect he or she pitched too low.

Or maybe not, if you are happy with those choices.

Just talked with DW. He did 3 essays (all the same) but they were optional. He’s happy with his options. Three OOS state schools and one OOS private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We really haven’t found anything to be that complicated. Our DS narrowed his choices down to 4 schools. The first week of September he had all of the applications in and complete. It really took no time at all. Basically an afternoon. The applications were simple and none of the schools required an essay or recommendations, although for some they were optional. I never heard anything about interviews. All 4 acceptances came back within a week or three.

interesting... so all 4 were rolling admission schools?

Two are rolling, one is early action non-binding and one “regular” admission with a deadline.

[Anonymous]

I'm not op, but these are helpful.

Do kids apply the summer before senior year when there is more time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We really haven’t found anything to be that complicated. Our DS narrowed his choices down to 4 schools. The first week of September he had all of the applications in and complete. It really took no time at all. Basically an afternoon. The applications were simple and none of the schools required an essay or recommendations, although for some they were optional. I never heard anything about interviews. All 4 acceptances came back within a week or three.

If your kid had 4 positive responses and opted out of all essays, I suspect he or she pitched too low.

Or maybe not, if you are happy with those choices.

Just talked with DW. He did 3 essays (all the same) but they were optional. He’s happy with his options. Three OOS state schools and one OOS private.

Then mazel tov! enjoy the rest of senior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not op, but these are helpful.

Do kids apply the summer before senior year when there is more time?

The common ap choices don't change much from year to year.

Ideally your kid is darn close to done with that essay before schools starts up in the fall. We'd narrowed the choice down to around 8 schools by then (lest you call me a helicopter parent, the "we" here is because I'm the one paying and funds are limited, and that matters for choosing the set of schools.)

Aug 1 is when most applications go live, but at least for us, finishing by early October only happened because of the hard work in the summer. If my kid had applied to more privates, he'd probably still have some essays to write but he only applied to 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We really haven’t found anything to be that complicated. Our DS narrowed his choices down to 4 schools. The first week of September he had all of the applications in and complete. It really took no time at all. Basically an afternoon. The applications were simple and none of the schools required an essay or recommendations, although for some they were optional. I never heard anything about interviews. All 4 acceptances came back within a week or three.

If your kid had 4 positive responses and opted out of all essays, I suspect he or she pitched too low.

Or maybe not, if you are happy with those choices.

Those of us who need merit aid cannot have our kids apply to reach schools, which by definition won't award merit aid to a reach applicant.

I disagree. Having been through it with my eldest, merit aid is a nice way of saying discount. So sure there were reaches we didn't get into and I suspect it was based on our ability to pay, but he also was accepted at a couple of reaches, and if those schools are known for aid, well then you will likely get a merit (discount) scholarship. You won't get their most generous offer but you will likely get an offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We really haven’t found anything to be that complicated. Our DS narrowed his choices down to 4 schools. The first week of September he had all of the applications in and complete. It really took no time at all. Basically an afternoon. The applications were simple and none of the schools required an essay or recommendations, although for some they were optional. I never heard anything about interviews. All 4 acceptances came back within a week or three.

If your kid had 4 positive responses and opted out of all essays, I suspect he or she pitched too low.

Or maybe not, if you are happy with those choices.

Those of us who need merit aid cannot have our kids apply to reach schools, which by definition won't award merit aid to a reach applicant.

I disagree. Having been through it with my eldest, merit aid is a nice way of saying discount. So sure there were reaches we didn't get into and I suspect it was based on our ability to pay, but he also was accepted at a couple of reaches, and if those schools are known for aid, well then you will likely get a merit (discount) scholarship. You won't get their most generous offer but you will likely get an offer.

It’s not a matter of opinion. If you need $X in merit aid in order to afford a given school, and X is a big number, your kid has to be in the top 25% of the applicant pool. Otherwise the money won’t work.

By definition then, the school isn’t a reach.