<p>crickett- you bring up a very important point- </p>
<p>I would like to “second” that showing interest in whatever school you are applying is equally as important as the interest to your “top choice” school- no matter what that is. </p>
<p>I think the best advice given to our son was that “no school on your final list should be one that you would “settle for,” but one that you would be happy to accept an offer from”…</p>
<p>that advice did several things-
it forced him to consider his “choices” carefully- helping to narrow down a moderate list to one that was more focused.
it also allowed him the time to focus on his “final five”… visits, information sessions, and those all-important “overnight stays”.</p>
<p>Can’t say enough about those overnights-
for both our daughter and son, having the opportunity to really spend time at the school they were considering, to see “inside” the dorms, classrooms, and student body, etc, gave them the chance to be able to really “compare and contrast” each experience… what was a “top choice” for our daughter, for example, fell right off her “list” after her overnight- “not what I expected at all”… ditto for our son, who, in the end, struggled a bit with his final decision.</p>
<p>For both, the interest showed was genuine, as both said to us they would be "happy with any schools on their list,’ even though there was an “ordering” no doubt.</p>
<p>I guess it all boils down to “not putting all your eggs in one basket”…especially if your basket is for a service academy…
if your dream school comes through, then great-
but if not, celebrate just as entheuastically- buy the sweatshirt and put the sticker on the car…</p>