Number of schools
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Anonymous
| Can/Do High school counselors try to limit the number of colleges kids can apply to? DC tells me that their school's counselor was implying they should not apply to more than 10 to 12 schools. Seemed to imply that she was being pretty strict about it. Not sure if it's just a pushy counselor or if they have any rules around it. Can't imagine why.. It's our money after all.. |
Anonymous
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Schools might try, since it generates more work for them (i.e. sending recommendations, transcripts, etc).
My kid's counsellor did the opposite: encouraging her to apply to 10 schools instead of the 7 we had planned (I think we were right, since she got into 7 schools, which made it hard to choose). I think counsellors are trying to give families a rough sense of what is typical, since--for many families--this is "their first rodeo." |
Anonymous
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Even 10-12 seems ridiculous. Our DC, a senior, is applying to 8 schools. 1 rolling admissions safety (already accepted), 4 strong matches, and 3 reaches.
Why would you need more than that? Are you or your child indecisive? |
Anonymous
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It will just be more stressful to choose.
If you have made a reasonable list (with schools on every level, and having researched fit in advance), more than 12 is unnecessary. Remember your kids has to write essays for each one, request recommendations and transcripts. And he/she will be still in high school, likely taking AP's etc. Now, if you are HELLBENT on getting into some certain ranking of school, you might apply frantically to increase your odds of succeeding. But I would feel bad for your kid if that was the way you were approaching this. |
Anonymous
| DC is applying to 12. It would have been fewer, but DH wanted an in state option at each level so that added 4 schools that otherwise wouldn’t have been on the list (DC chose two safeties). With the uncertainty around test scores and deferments and the inability to do campus visits this year, we figured a few extra options can’t hurt. |
Anonymous
Because our kids haven’t been able to see any schools because of Covid. So it’s all kind of a random crapshoot anyway. Mine is applying to 20 and I’m totally fine with that! |
Anonymous
NP here. This totally makes sense! |
Anonymous
| Each app takes 3-5 hours. Do as many as you think you have time for |
Anonymous
| Most colleges now accept the common app, but several have “additional questions” that accompany the application. Our terrific college counselor suggested applying to only 12 (there is a limit of 20 colleges if you use the common app). Then she helped my DC narrow the actual list to 9. The trick is to do the research and apply to roughly 9 schools that your kid would be thrilled to attend, including at least two safeties and two reaches. Otherwise too many choices. As it is, my DC loves every school she has applied to (counselor helped get them filed in late August). Good luck! |
Anonymous
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Thanks to FERPA your DCs educational records belong to you (or DC if over 18). I would imagine that in most circumstances if you are simply asking the school to provide official copies of material already created (transcripts and letters), their rights would be limited to a few to cover reasonable costs.
A rule that says “you can only ask for n teacher recommendations” might be ok. Here I’d take issue with n of 2 because for some of DCs top choices s/he will probably send 1 letter from each of STEM and non STEM and for other choices 2 STEM. In any case I’d push back on a limit. Unfortunately you need to start delicately because that counselor will also be writing a rec.The up thread suggestion to blame Covid and not visiting for a higher number of applications is a good one, so long as the longer list reasonably coherent. |
Anonymous
| Aren't the counselor recommendations, transcripts and other school specific docs posted once to common app and shared with all the common app schools? If so, what is the problem for the counselor if we apply to 20 schools vs. 2? It's not like they are customizing the reco. for each school.. |
Anonymous
Well, pick 4 matches and 4 safeties for Computer Science for an Asian Male coming out of TJ that he would like to go (e.g. UVA is at the bottom of his like scale) and not have to go (e.g. JMU). Did not like Pitt when we visited so the rolling school is out. |
Anonymous
What? The common app schools have at most one tiny little extra essay prompt. Many are also free this year so blasting them out all over is a reasonable strategy. |
Anonymous
Not the top schools. Most schools have one or two essays. If you pick Honors college, thats at least one more. Very few are free. |
Anonymous
Top schools require multiple. Some kids are writing 15-20 essays. |