My current senior submitted 6: 1 ED (waitlisted), 2 EA, 2 RD. She is attending a RD school.

10 but it was a fluid process. Three rolling admission, some OOS EA. Admission was known before instate RD went it. Given the good result (in at most w/merit, but not in at all), only 2 instate applications went in. I pushed for those. Wanted DC to have a choice go to college with friends, if she chose to at the 11th hour.

Second DC, 5 apps. Admitted to 2. Visited both once DC was in and they were so happy to attend either, did no other applications.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Junior, I think we will do 20 or so. Just in state is four, then a few out of state flagships, three or so reaches, some more safeties.

Too many IMO

My nightmare: dd not getting in anywhere. I could totally see that happen to her: She is a very good, not top student, has a good, not top ACT score, has some ECs, no stellar amazing ECs, won't have an amazing essay...She's the type of kid who would do well many places, is a well-adjusted and lovely person, but not someone colleges are going to fight over. Trying to be realistic and not end up with nothing.

I am worried that targets are actually reaches and safeties will yield protect.

There is that too. It's honestly awful. In her case she is "too good" for the safeties, but not good enough for the targets given who applies. It absolutely sucks tbh. I think she can get in to some flagships pretty easily, but not necessarily ones she wants/are optimal to pay for. The process feels so flawed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Junior, I think we will do 20 or so. Just in state is four, then a few out of state flagships, three or so reaches, some more safeties.

Too many IMO

My nightmare: dd not getting in anywhere. I could totally see that happen to her: She is a very good, not top student, has a good, not top ACT score, has some ECs, no stellar amazing ECs, won't have an amazing essay...She's the type of kid who would do well many places, is a well-adjusted and lovely person, but not someone colleges are going to fight over. Trying to be realistic and not end up with nothing.

I am worried that targets are actually reaches and safeties will yield protect.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My senior applied to 11 schools. He got rejected from Columbia and Hopkins (my alma mater ). He will be attending Princeton in the fall. We are still shocked by the rejection from Hopkins and by Princeton's acceptance.

For this poster what was the strategy? EA? ED at Hopkins? Etc. these are my DC top 3 choices and one parent also a Hopkins alum! GPA and tests scores?

I am the poster that you are referring to. My advice for applying to Hopkins is to apply ED1 or ED2. Hopkins operates like Tufts in that regard. My child applied during Regular Decision. Hopkins gave him the opportunity to switch his application to ED2, but he did not. At that time my child already had acceptances at a few universities and some with significant aid. He didn't want to risk discarding the other schools for Hopkins. There is no way that Hopkins was going to give my child the generous offer that he received from other institutions. It all worked out for the best in the end.

My child's GPA was 4.8 and SAT score was 1580.

Anonymous wrote:Take a deep breath. Help her find a mix of safeties and targets for her profile. Some reaches too but the stress reliever is getting acceptances early to schools that are acceptable. This is why safeties are so important. Then after that the stress level goes down for everyone. The “I’m going to college” moment is a great one for everyone

We're not doing many reaches at all. Our big issue is in state has become insane where we are (FL) so she could be rejected by all despite two theoretically being safeties. If we knew for a fact she could get in I would not be stressing out.

14 and it was too many. Should have scrapped at least 3 (a super reach, a school he’d lost interest in and still applied, and a safety bc our GC said he should add another safety).

Was accepted at 9 (including one off the WL)
Was rejected at 3
WL at 2 and took himself off one WL (and assuming he won’t get off the last one).

I think 9-11 is fine, if they truly like that many schools.

Our high scoring rising senior is aiming for 8…. 1 safety and 2 targets (one of which they love… and have a few older friends there already); 3 reaches and 2 super-high “lottery” schools.

She has been researching and visiting schools for a year. We recently finalized this list with the college counselor and agreed that she can add in as many as she wants after she gets these apps done, or swap in a new school for one already on the list. The plan is to start apps in Aug and be done by Nov, and I hAve faith that she will because that’s how she does everything - which is completely opposite of her older brother.

Take a deep breath. Help her find a mix of safeties and targets for her profile. Some reaches too but the stress reliever is getting acceptances early to schools that are acceptable. This is why safeties are so important. Then after that the stress level goes down for everyone. The “I’m going to college” moment is a great one for everyone

Rising senior currently has 7 public schools on her list. A mix of reaches, targets, and safeties. One OOS private (DH’s alma mater) that would only be possible with significant merit aid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Junior, I think we will do 20 or so. Just in state is four, then a few out of state flagships, three or so reaches, some more safeties.

Too many IMO

My nightmare: dd not getting in anywhere. I could totally see that happen to her: She is a very good, not top student, has a good, not top ACT score, has some ECs, no stellar amazing ECs, won't have an amazing essay...She's the type of kid who would do well many places, is a well-adjusted and lovely person, but not someone colleges are going to fight over. Trying to be realistic and not end up with nothing.