Anyone’s kid apply to more than 20 schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd be super curious how things would shake out if they limited apps like they do in the UK, like 10 tops.

BTW, people have mentioned this before and everyone goes nuts - common app does limit apps! -- but no, it doesn't.

I'd also love to see schools go back to requiring tests and also post a minimum for GPA and test scores. I think 10% of apps at high reaches are totally a waste of everyone's time. you have to have a 1200 and a 3.5, cmon people. We can read holistically from there.

Yeah, but what about someone with a 4.0 and 1550? This is my kid and he got rejected ED1. He has a legitimate shot anywhere but might get rejected by all the top schools.

That was my oldest too.

2nd kid applied to over 15 schools just to be safe. When the first batch came back with a deferral and rejection, they added a few more. Once they got their first acceptance, they scaled back.

Having seen the higher stat older sibling end up with an onslaught of waitlists and rejections made us change our approach to applying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UCs don't count toward 20, and you can always apply (or have to) outside the common app (e.g. Georgetown). With the CCO saying basically nothing is a safety even for a 36 ACT 3.8 Big 3 kid but whose parents are nothing special, but then saying don't apply to more than 12, it's a stupid year overall.

This kind of kid would be screwed if they can only apply to 12. That GPA is problematic.

My kid is in the same boat GPA wise but at a non-DMV private that is permitting unlimited apps this year bc of the “unprecedented chaos” (their words….)

DP. No. That GPA at a Big3 is not comparable to your kid's public school GPA. The admissions officers know this and school rigor. Since they don't have APs and have grade deflation- not inflation. 3.8 is high.

My kid’s at a rigorous private but ok.
It’s the private school kids under 3.9 but above 3.75 that are squeezed when the 3.9+ get dinged or deferred Ed and apply RD widely to 20+ schools…

Yep. My junior is the same at a Big3. Somewhere in the 3.8s, 1550. probably at the 80% mark for the class. not sure what will happen. the 3.6 and below kids have no chance at a top 40 anymore (unhooked), the 3.9s generally have good options. Not sure where it leaves the in between kids. there are a decent number of them.

[Anonymous]

So much randomness, unpredictability, and luck factors in the dumb US system especially with TO.

System is broken.

[Anonymous]

side comment: I think those YouTube college acceptance videos lead a lot of kids to believe they'll probably get into one of those tip top schools. Bcs kids don't post videos where they end up at their safety.

[Anonymous]

20+ is insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UCs don't count toward 20, and you can always apply (or have to) outside the common app (e.g. Georgetown). With the CCO saying basically nothing is a safety even for a 36 ACT 3.8 Big 3 kid but whose parents are nothing special, but then saying don't apply to more than 12, it's a stupid year overall.

This kind of kid would be screwed if they can only apply to 12. That GPA is problematic.

My kid is in the same boat GPA wise but at a non-DMV private that is permitting unlimited apps this year bc of the “unprecedented chaos” (their words….)

DP. No. That GPA at a Big3 is not comparable to your kid's public school GPA. The admissions officers know this and school rigor. Since they don't have APs and have grade deflation- not inflation. 3.8 is high.

My kid’s at a rigorous private but ok.
It’s the private school kids under 3.9 but above 3.75 that are squeezed when the 3.9+ get dinged or deferred Ed and apply RD widely to 20+ schools…

That’s my kid and her friends. All over 3.9, 1550+/36 . Most dinged, now applying RD. She added 12 apps over the break.

[Anonymous]

if being "dinged" from Princeton etc throws your whole college strategy out the window, that just means you have a bad strategy.

I think people think that U Chicago takes just about anyone during ED. Sorry, nope. It's competitive in ED too!

All top 20 schools are long shots all the way through

[Anonymous]

[quote=

TEST OPTIONAL is responsible for the unpredictability. Colleges are creating a vicious cycle. I hate the constant blaming of students. Kids that want to try for top schools after a lifetime of pushing themselves, or families who need to shop for merit have every right to give themselves the best chance. The only choice is to apply widely.

The alternative is to be happy with a mid-tier public when you have a reasonable shot at an Ivy, or take out more student loans? F that. Kids should do what's best for them in this broken system they did not create.

Completely agree with this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UCs don't count toward 20, and you can always apply (or have to) outside the common app (e.g. Georgetown). With the CCO saying basically nothing is a safety even for a 36 ACT 3.8 Big 3 kid but whose parents are nothing special, but then saying don't apply to more than 12, it's a stupid year overall.

This kind of kid would be screwed if they can only apply to 12. That GPA is problematic.

My kid is in the same boat GPA wise but at a non-DMV private that is permitting unlimited apps this year bc of the “unprecedented chaos” (their words….)

DP. No. That GPA at a Big3 is not comparable to your kid's public school GPA. The admissions officers know this and school rigor. Since they don't have APs and have grade deflation- not inflation. 3.8 is high.

My kid’s at a rigorous private but ok.
It’s the private school kids under 3.9 but above 3.75 that are squeezed when the 3.9+ get dinged or deferred Ed and apply RD widely to 20+ schools…

That’s my kid and her friends. All over 3.9, 1550+/36 . Most dinged, now applying RD. She added 12 apps over the break.

Curious where she applied?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UCs don't count toward 20, and you can always apply (or have to) outside the common app (e.g. Georgetown). With the CCO saying basically nothing is a safety even for a 36 ACT 3.8 Big 3 kid but whose parents are nothing special, but then saying don't apply to more than 12, it's a stupid year overall.

This kind of kid would be screwed if they can only apply to 12. That GPA is problematic.

My kid is in the same boat GPA wise but at a non-DMV private that is permitting unlimited apps this year bc of the “unprecedented chaos” (their words….)

DP. No. That GPA at a Big3 is not comparable to your kid's public school GPA. The admissions officers know this and school rigor. Since they don't have APs and have grade deflation- not inflation. 3.8 is high.

My kid’s at a rigorous private but ok.
It’s the private school kids under 3.9 but above 3.75 that are squeezed when the 3.9+ get dinged or deferred Ed and apply RD widely to 20+ schools…

That’s my kid and her friends. All over 3.9, 1550+/36 . Most dinged, now applying RD. She added 12 apps over the break.

They're all over a 3.9/36 at a Big3 private?

[Anonymous]

Test optional admissions certainly contributed mightily, but the unpredictability of college admissions had been steadily increasing over the two decades prior to 2020. Other factors include a growing national high school population that is currently peaking, the increased participation of traditionally excluded groups, and the increased awareness of colleges outside one's immediate region (helped by the Internet).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:if being "dinged" from Princeton etc throws your whole college strategy out the window, that just means you have a bad strategy.

I think people think that U Chicago takes just about anyone during ED. Sorry, nope. It's competitive in ED too!

All top 20 schools are long shots all the way through

💯

And having to apply regular decision doesn’t mean there’s no hope. You gotta be strategic and play the long game. This immediate panic after the early decision round is kind of crazy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UCs don't count toward 20, and you can always apply (or have to) outside the common app (e.g. Georgetown). With the CCO saying basically nothing is a safety even for a 36 ACT 3.8 Big 3 kid but whose parents are nothing special, but then saying don't apply to more than 12, it's a stupid year overall.

This kind of kid would be screwed if they can only apply to 12. That GPA is problematic.

My kid is in the same boat GPA wise but at a non-DMV private that is permitting unlimited apps this year bc of the “unprecedented chaos” (their words….)

DP. No. That GPA at a Big3 is not comparable to your kid's public school GPA. The admissions officers know this and school rigor. Since they don't have APs and have grade deflation- not inflation. 3.8 is high.

My kid’s at a rigorous private but ok.
It’s the private school kids under 3.9 but above 3.75 that are squeezed when the 3.9+ get dinged or deferred Ed and apply RD widely to 20+ schools…

That’s my kid and her friends. All over 3.9, 1550+/36 . Most dinged, now applying RD. She added 12 apps over the break.

They're all over a 3.9/36 at a Big3 private?

Yeah no

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[quote=

TEST OPTIONAL is responsible for the unpredictability. Colleges are creating a vicious cycle. I hate the constant blaming of students. Kids that want to try for top schools after a lifetime of pushing themselves, or families who need to shop for merit have every right to give themselves the best chance. The only choice is to apply widely.

The alternative is to be happy with a mid-tier public when you have a reasonable shot at an Ivy, or take out more student loans? F that. Kids should do what's best for them in this broken system they did not create.

Completely agree with this.

Life of of pushing themselves? 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UCs don't count toward 20, and you can always apply (or have to) outside the common app (e.g. Georgetown). With the CCO saying basically nothing is a safety even for a 36 ACT 3.8 Big 3 kid but whose parents are nothing special, but then saying don't apply to more than 12, it's a stupid year overall.

This kind of kid would be screwed if they can only apply to 12. That GPA is problematic.

My kid is in the same boat GPA wise but at a non-DMV private that is permitting unlimited apps this year bc of the “unprecedented chaos” (their words….)

DP. No. That GPA at a Big3 is not comparable to your kid's public school GPA. The admissions officers know this and school rigor. Since they don't have APs and have grade deflation- not inflation. 3.8 is high.

My kid’s at a rigorous private but ok.
It’s the private school kids under 3.9 but above 3.75 that are squeezed when the 3.9+ get dinged or deferred Ed and apply RD widely to 20+ schools…

That’s my kid and her friends. All over 3.9, 1550+/36 . Most dinged, now applying RD. She added 12 apps over the break.

They're all over a 3.9/36 at a Big3 private?

Yeah no

Why not? Because it’s not your child? There are quite a few. Depends on which group you socialize with. There is variability in rigor but the kids who take the hardest classes also have some of the highest GPAs. The kids who take the easier classes to protect their GPAs also do well. They are being strategic. My advice to younger kids is that it’s more important to protect your GPA. You don’t want to show the school that you couldn’t get an A. It’s like going test optional. What they don’t see they can’t judge.