Lessons learned: 2025-2026

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apply to as many reaches as you can (do well). Admissions for holistic T20 are unpredictable.

Shoot as many arrows as you can.

Came on here to add the same thing. Pick 2-3 safeties where you would genuinely be happy at and have solid programs for your field. Then do 3-4 targets. But then...upper targets and reaches? Do as many as you feel up to and that you can afford. They are so flaky. Just finished for my last child. All my kids all got into their safeties. Got into most of their targets. And only one got into a reach. And we still can't' figure out how or why but we will take it!

+1

I'd say only 1 real "safety" is required. 2-3 targets. And the rest reaches, including far reaches. All schools that they would enjoy attending.

EA as much as possible. ED if they have a very clear favorite. ED2 if they have a very clear 2nd favorite.

I would recommend more safeties because if it comes to that you want to have a choice

Waste of time.

Unless you’re hunting for merit aid or presidential scholarships.

[Anonymous]

Visit safety schools first throughout junior year. That way if your kid has a rough junior year that drops the GPA, they won’t need to recalibrate the entire list and will still have options they’ve visited and liked. Ask me how I know. :-/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Visit safety schools first throughout junior year. That way if your kid has a rough junior year that drops the GPA, they won’t need to recalibrate the entire list and will still have options they’ve visited and liked. Ask me how I know. :-/

Yes, good point, and had similar experience with DD. After a hellish junior year, knowing she had a few schools she really liked where admission was not a challenge really helped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apply to as many reaches as you can (do well). Admissions for holistic T20 are unpredictable.

Shoot as many arrows as you can.

Came on here to add the same thing. Pick 2-3 safeties where you would genuinely be happy at and have solid programs for your field. Then do 3-4 targets. But then...upper targets and reaches? Do as many as you feel up to and that you can afford. They are so flaky. Just finished for my last child. All my kids all got into their safeties. Got into most of their targets. And only one got into a reach. And we still can't' figure out how or why but we will take it!

+1

I'd say only 1 real "safety" is required. 2-3 targets. And the rest reaches, including far reaches. All schools that they would enjoy attending.

EA as much as possible. ED if they have a very clear favorite. ED2 if they have a very clear 2nd favorite.

NP can I ask how far reach is it too reachy and become pointless? Scoir is showing Rice, Williams and Amherst as DC's reaches (we expected them to be far reaches) and HYP, Brown as far reaches (where we expected them). Should DC try for HYP and Brown if we follow your go-for-far-reaches suggestion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apply to as many reaches as you can (do well). Admissions for holistic T20 are unpredictable.

Shoot as many arrows as you can.

Came on here to add the same thing. Pick 2-3 safeties where you would genuinely be happy at and have solid programs for your field. Then do 3-4 targets. But then...upper targets and reaches? Do as many as you feel up to and that you can afford. They are so flaky. Just finished for my last child. All my kids all got into their safeties. Got into most of their targets. And only one got into a reach. And we still can't' figure out how or why but we will take it!

+1

I'd say only 1 real "safety" is required. 2-3 targets. And the rest reaches, including far reaches. All schools that they would enjoy attending.

EA as much as possible. ED if they have a very clear favorite. ED2 if they have a very clear 2nd favorite.

I would recommend more safeties because if it comes to that you want to have a choice

Waste of time.

Unless you’re hunting for merit aid or presidential scholarships.

What's the difference between merit aid and "presidential scholarships"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apply to as many reaches as you can (do well). Admissions for holistic T20 are unpredictable.

Shoot as many arrows as you can.

Came on here to add the same thing. Pick 2-3 safeties where you would genuinely be happy at and have solid programs for your field. Then do 3-4 targets. But then...upper targets and reaches? Do as many as you feel up to and that you can afford. They are so flaky. Just finished for my last child. All my kids all got into their safeties. Got into most of their targets. And only one got into a reach. And we still can't' figure out how or why but we will take it!

+1

I'd say only 1 real "safety" is required. 2-3 targets. And the rest reaches, including far reaches. All schools that they would enjoy attending.

EA as much as possible. ED if they have a very clear favorite. ED2 if they have a very clear 2nd favorite.

NP can I ask how far reach is it too reachy and become pointless? Scoir is showing Rice, Williams and Amherst as DC's reaches (we expected them to be far reaches) and HYP, Brown as far reaches (where we expected them). Should DC try for HYP and Brown if we follow your go-for-far-reaches suggestion?

In Scoir, do kids with your dc’s stats ever get into those far reaches? If not, prob not worth it. To me a far reach would be something like: 1/6 of the kids with dd’s stats get into Harvard so it’s worth applying as a far reach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apply to as many reaches as you can (do well). Admissions for holistic T20 are unpredictable.

Shoot as many arrows as you can.

Came on here to add the same thing. Pick 2-3 safeties where you would genuinely be happy at and have solid programs for your field. Then do 3-4 targets. But then...upper targets and reaches? Do as many as you feel up to and that you can afford. They are so flaky. Just finished for my last child. All my kids all got into their safeties. Got into most of their targets. And only one got into a reach. And we still can't' figure out how or why but we will take it!

+1

I'd say only 1 real "safety" is required. 2-3 targets. And the rest reaches, including far reaches. All schools that they would enjoy attending.

EA as much as possible. ED if they have a very clear favorite. ED2 if they have a very clear 2nd favorite.

NP can I ask how far reach is it too reachy and become pointless? Scoir is showing Rice, Williams and Amherst as DC's reaches (we expected them to be far reaches) and HYP, Brown as far reaches (where we expected them). Should DC try for HYP and Brown if we follow your go-for-far-reaches suggestion?

In Scoir, do kids with your dc’s stats ever get into those far reaches? If not, prob not worth it. To me a far reach would be something like: 1/6 of the kids with dd’s stats get into Harvard so it’s worth applying as a far reach.

PP Someone from our HS get into these schools every year but I don't know their stats or if they are legacy/hooked (we are unhooked). Just starting to learn how to use Scoir, all I see is they label which school is a target, likely, reach and far reach on your college list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apply to as many reaches as you can (do well). Admissions for holistic T20 are unpredictable.

Shoot as many arrows as you can.

Came on here to add the same thing. Pick 2-3 safeties where you would genuinely be happy at and have solid programs for your field. Then do 3-4 targets. But then...upper targets and reaches? Do as many as you feel up to and that you can afford. They are so flaky. Just finished for my last child. All my kids all got into their safeties. Got into most of their targets. And only one got into a reach. And we still can't' figure out how or why but we will take it!

+1

I'd say only 1 real "safety" is required. 2-3 targets. And the rest reaches, including far reaches. All schools that they would enjoy attending.

EA as much as possible. ED if they have a very clear favorite. ED2 if they have a very clear 2nd favorite.

I would recommend more safeties because if it comes to that you want to have a choice

Waste of time.

Unless you’re hunting for merit aid or presidential scholarships.

That’s true. Some are very generous with merit offers.

But waste of time for my kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apply to as many reaches as you can (do well). Admissions for holistic T20 are unpredictable.

Shoot as many arrows as you can.

Came on here to add the same thing. Pick 2-3 safeties where you would genuinely be happy at and have solid programs for your field. Then do 3-4 targets. But then...upper targets and reaches? Do as many as you feel up to and that you can afford. They are so flaky. Just finished for my last child. All my kids all got into their safeties. Got into most of their targets. And only one got into a reach. And we still can't' figure out how or why but we will take it!

+1

I'd say only 1 real "safety" is required. 2-3 targets. And the rest reaches, including far reaches. All schools that they would enjoy attending.

EA as much as possible. ED if they have a very clear favorite. ED2 if they have a very clear 2nd favorite.

NP can I ask how far reach is it too reachy and become pointless? Scoir is showing Rice, Williams and Amherst as DC's reaches (we expected them to be far reaches) and HYP, Brown as far reaches (where we expected them). Should DC try for HYP and Brown if we follow your go-for-far-reaches suggestion?

Personally, I'd have your kid go all-in on the target/reach applications first and then if they have time/energy then do the far reaches.

My kid did:
3 likelies -> 3 admits
3 targets -> 3 admits
3 reaches -> 3 admits
3 far reaches -> 1 ED deferred/RD rejected, 1 RD rejected, 1 RD WL -> 1 WL admit

My kid did sincerely like all schools but it was a huge time suck to do so many likelies/targets.

Do the EA (likely/target) applications first - they are a good "warm up" for the reaches.

If your kid does a fall sport, try to get as much done over the summer as possible.

And check with the counselor to confirm reach/far reach. Williams is tough for everyone (IMO).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apply to as many reaches as you can (do well). Admissions for holistic T20 are unpredictable.

Shoot as many arrows as you can.

Came on here to add the same thing. Pick 2-3 safeties where you would genuinely be happy at and have solid programs for your field. Then do 3-4 targets. But then...upper targets and reaches? Do as many as you feel up to and that you can afford. They are so flaky. Just finished for my last child. All my kids all got into their safeties. Got into most of their targets. And only one got into a reach. And we still can't' figure out how or why but we will take it!

+1

I'd say only 1 real "safety" is required. 2-3 targets. And the rest reaches, including far reaches. All schools that they would enjoy attending.

EA as much as possible. ED if they have a very clear favorite. ED2 if they have a very clear 2nd favorite.

NP can I ask how far reach is it too reachy and become pointless? Scoir is showing Rice, Williams and Amherst as DC's reaches (we expected them to be far reaches) and HYP, Brown as far reaches (where we expected them). Should DC try for HYP and Brown if we follow your go-for-far-reaches suggestion?

DP: For Brown, there's an ED advantage. If your kid loves Brown, it might make sense to ED. For RD, HYP are far reaches for all. As you (and the kid) know, unless there's some standout hook you're not telling us about, an application won't hurt (other than lost time, money, and the pain of likely rejection). If kid isn't truly excited about them, why waste the $ and the tears?

[Anonymous]

In college admissions, one families best practice (lessons learned) is another families worst practice.

There are very few broad lessons learned that are applicable in general. That is because of starting points are all different.

To a student with a high chance of HYPSM admit, best practices are going to be quite different from someone who has a decent shot at T20, and different from someone who has realistically a T50 chance and so on.

[Anonymous]

It always starts and ends with your HS. It's irrelevant to me what TJ or any other public school trends say.

Your HS will dictate outcomes, within a range. Focus on that. Make yourself stand out in your applicant pool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Compelling successful applicants are:

- inspiring /improving society (their applications read in a way that an AO would want to have lunch with the kid)

- kids who are changing the world and are externally focused, with evidence of character

- interesting and genuine and distinctive (or uncommon).

Assume they meet the stats profile. Then try & and hit some institutional priorities.

This was definitely true at our private this year. Higher stat kids were rejected in favor of these kinds of applicants who hit these types of tones. Sometimes the admits were even test-optional, at schools like Northwestern, WashU, Vanderbilt, and even Michigan (always social sciences and/or humanities).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apply to as many reaches as you can (do well). Admissions for holistic T20 are unpredictable.

Shoot as many arrows as you can.

Came on here to add the same thing. Pick 2-3 safeties where you would genuinely be happy at and have solid programs for your field. Then do 3-4 targets. But then...upper targets and reaches? Do as many as you feel up to and that you can afford. They are so flaky. Just finished for my last child. All my kids all got into their safeties. Got into most of their targets. And only one got into a reach. And we still can't' figure out how or why but we will take it!

+1

I'd say only 1 real "safety" is required. 2-3 targets. And the rest reaches, including far reaches. All schools that they would enjoy attending.

EA as much as possible. ED if they have a very clear favorite. ED2 if they have a very clear 2nd favorite.

NP can I ask how far reach is it too reachy and become pointless? Scoir is showing Rice, Williams and Amherst as DC's reaches (we expected them to be far reaches) and HYP, Brown as far reaches (where we expected them). Should DC try for HYP and Brown if we follow your go-for-far-reaches suggestion?

In Scoir, do kids with your dc’s stats ever get into those far reaches? If not, prob not worth it. To me a far reach would be something like: 1/6 of the kids with dd’s stats get into Harvard so it’s worth applying as a far reach.

PP Someone from our HS get into these schools every year but I don't know their stats or if they are legacy/hooked (we are unhooked). Just starting to learn how to use Scoir, all I see is they label which school is a target, likely, reach and far reach on your college list.

You need to see scattergrams of admitted kids’ stats. I use Naviance so not sure how that looks in Scoir. Legacies, athletes, etc can muddy the waters, but if nobody with your child’s stats gets in it’s unlikely to happen for your child. The target/reach/far reaches stuff isn’t that helpful imo because schools yield protect like crazy and it’s possible to get into teaches but not targets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t panic ED2. But an ED2 to a school that is genuinely their second or third choice can be a lifeline.

+100