<p>In message boards of olden days, DH=darling husband, DD=darling daughter, etc. Some people still continue with DH instead of H, etc.</p>
<p>Gotcha, Kei. I’ve never been clear on whether multiple ^ marks indicate multiple steps back up the thread, or just a more emphatic reference to the immediately preceding post.</p>
<p>My list currently stands at 10. I’m limited to 11 by my parents, so currently trying to choose between a safety and a high reach. I have several other maybes that I could “see” myself at but will not apply to because I have a strong distribution already, i.e. matches that I love. I’m also seeking need-based aid, not merit, which expands my options in terms of acceptable, affordable match-level schools. I have visited a LOT, and sometimes had gut reactions either way, but also sometimes had very ambiguous reactions.</p>
<p>And I have some VERY specific criteria. if I were seeking merit aid, I could easily expand the list to 15-20 by sacrificing things like my specific creative writing needs or a linguistics department (at an LAC, not so easy to find).</p>
<p>My excellent college counselor advised 8-11 applications when FA is a concern, although she didn’t play a very large part in shaping my list (due to my own neuroticism, not her skill).</p>
<p>ilovetoquilt - I’ve done everything that you’ve recommended and probably more. Cf. my CC post count. Honestly, I can’t see myself cutting any schools from my core list of 9 (+in-state financial safety that really isn’t a fit, but I only have one adequate in-state option), which was winnowed from a much longer list. I LOVE all of them, for different reasons. I’ve already done the “drives me nuts” winnowing; for instance, I really can’t get over Rice’s location and thus will not be applying. I did manage to get over the Minnesota location of two schools that I love and will apply to; I have lived in a similar climate before, so I think I can handle the cold, and in any case I prefer extreme cold to extreme heat.</p>
<p>My daughter’s current list stands at 14. Since I am unsure about need-based aid and can’t afford to pay outright we are spinning the merit-aid wheel. I am not adverse to adding more schools as we go along if we hear of them. The counselor at the high school has been little to no help, which I am sure makes a difference. Also, DD wants to start school with an undeclared major so we can’t even look at specific programs. She does want Claifornia (preferably southern) and small. That’s it. So her list is long and daunting…</p>
<p>Keilexandra, don’t know whether you’ve considered Earlham, but it’s a LAC with linguistics (actually Comparative Languages and Linguistics is what they call it) and a minor in creative writing.</p>
<p>^ Thanks for the suggestion–Earlham’s ling program is actually more of a multiple-languages program, so not really suited for me. (I crossed it off for other reasons–weak programs in English and CS, my major fields–alas, for I loved the Quaker vibe.)</p>
<p>Ironic, though, to receive a college suggestion in a thread about limiting applications. :roll:</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>There’s also Reed, but the CS is a 5-year dual-degree with U Wash, so that may not suit, either. </p>
<p>And I’ll stop now! :D</p>
<p>^ Yep, CS is the deal-breaker with Reed.</p>
<p>for us, its a matter of trying to get merit aid. . .which you won’t know if you’ll get until about April. </p>
<p>Our criteria is that we will pay for school equal in tuition cost to an UC school. . . so we told D if you want to experience OOS, you’ll have to get a scholarship to have tuition come down to about $10k to be able to attend.</p>
<p>D1 applied to 12 schools and got in all 12 (with scholarships --both full and partial --from 8). She chose Baylor with full NMF scholarship.</p>
<p>D2 applied to 8 and got into 8, again with scholarships both full and partial from about half of the schools. She attends UCLA no aid. </p>
<p>I count that as successful and thoughtful college research for both Ds.</p>
<p>Now, d3 currently has 11 on her list . . .so we will see. As I have told her, one must apply to reaches, matches and safeties – and also have some financial reaches, matches and safeties in there too. 3-4 of tyhe schools she is applying to are UC schools that you apply with just one app ( but reg fees for each one)</p>
<p>Sometimes what child wants in sept is vastly different 6 months later in April. We wait until spring break to vist the OOS that D gets accepted to.</p>
<p>We are defintitely spreading the net further than 4 years ago with my son. He got into all his colleges (6) but only had 2 that were financial possibilities. You just don’t know, many students have stats that can garner merit aid but not all get the same amount or any at all. Same with need-based, we had 2 colleges that didn’t meet 100% need give us more than two that did. I wont try to figure it all out, just pass what little I learned onto my daughters. They will have a few more and hopefully smarter choices.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>We had a very similar experience. Schools that met an average 90%+ of need did not have a package that was as good as a couple of schools that average 85% of need. One school that meets an average of 65% of need did give a lousy FA package as would have been predicted.</p>
<p>mom of four - Do you mean tuition or COA at a UC? My impression was that top UCs cost almost 25k/yr in-state full-pay; most privates don’t charge 15k/year for room and board.</p>
<p>I don care how much it costs if only could live in UCLA but not in LA…</p>