<p>8 is kind of a mickey mouse number if you will. That’s my opinion on what the limit should be. Whether or not you agree on eight, there should be a limit. </p>
<p>I can understand trying to maximize FA, but seriously, if you need to hedge your bets and apply to 19 or 20 schools, I see that as an issue. There are schools that meet FULL need that have acceptance rates over 40%. I think if there were limits, more kids would look at these options.
Just my opinion though</p>
<p>Keilexandra – have you looked at SUNY’s? usually a fairly good bargain for out of staters.
New Paltz has a linguistics minor, a comp sci major, enrollment under 10,000, and OOS tuition and fees under $25,000.</p>
<p>(note - offering this not to address the issue of number of applications, but just to try to help you with a suggestion)</p>
<p>^ Unfortunately, 20k is really the max I can afford in total COA (15k would be ideal). The SUNYs would not be OOS financial safeties, given this economy, especially since I’d have to account for steep tuition increases in the future (to make up for budget cuts).</p>
<p>Keilexandra, I agree if your COA has to be under 20k. We stopped looking at the Sunys after their major price increase of about 3k for OOS for this year. Jumps like that are scary.</p>
<p>Keil, but with your stats, I would think that you would be offered merit aid, which can make SUNYs work for you. It is just not a financial safety unless you know upfront that you will get a scholarship and how much it is worth.</p>
<p>Keil-if you’re willing to have more students, you would have lots of options</p>
<p>^ I am not. My in-state financial safety is already 16k students, and I have no need or wish to go larger than that. It’s already far too big.</p>
<p>Size is a simple enough parameter that I should not HAVE to compromise. And I’m not–by applying to more than 8 schools and maximizing my chances at the full-need private LACs (looking at around 12 apps, when the dust settles).</p>
<p>Does anyone remember the “Andison” thread? Andi’s son had brilliant stats, applied to something like eight schools (I’m not sure how many) and wasn’t accepted at any of them. He had to take a year off and reapply. It was a nightmare. Plus, if you limited the number of applications, many kids would not apply to reaches where they might very well be admitted. I doubt my S would have applied to Williams if there were limits to the number of applications a student can submit. And from what he has been telling me, he fit right in and is very happy there.</p>
<p>^^what about the kid who can only afford 4 apps. When some kids get 20, how on earth is that fair</p>
<p>I believe most high schools are happy to fill application waiver forms, aren’t they?</p>
<p>Not mine. You have to be on free lunches to get one from ours…
and many kids who don’t qualify for that still can’t afford it…</p>
<p>I just strongly think wealth creates advantages in this system</p>
<p>Wealth creates advantages in most systems, if not all… Besides, when you are considering spending 200K in four years, and have an increased chance at better FA, or a better school, another 700.00 is not that much.</p>
<p>For my family, another 700 is ridiculous. My entire app process will be costing about $120…and that’s a complete struggle. We’re not even poor. I can’t imagine how it must be if you are lower middle class</p>
<p>And what about SAT or ACT preparation courses, private tutors, sports instructors, trips to Europe, etc.? Are you going to put a limit on these because they create unfair advantages? I wish I were truly wealthy. I would had given my S every possible advantage money can buy, and I hope his going to College will help him give those advantages to his own children. Isn’t that the dream of most parents?</p>
<p>We can’t limit those things, it’s impossible. But we can limit apps.
I was given next to nothing in advantages. No ACT prep, no trips, no anything. I worked to give myself anything i needed(ACT tests, AP tests, the like)I still was able to suceed. At that point, dont i deserve a level playing field with a rich kid? I’ve already overcome soo much more</p>
<p>Rocketlouise-- I’m guessing you will start getting some email invitations to apply to various colleges-- with the fee waived. My S got quite a few from some very good schools. I’m assuming this was because he had pretty good SAT scores, as his GPA was crummy. </p>
<p>I hope that you hear from schools that you are interested in.</p>
<p>I’m middle-class, just like you. $120 is not a complete struggle for us. But your parents aren’t contributing at all to your education, IIRC? That is their choice, although I wish they didn’t make it. The point is–limiting apps does not just “level the playing field” with a “rich kid,” it tilts the playing field even more for the truly poor and even for the middle-class student with different family financial values. Should I be penalized because my parents have saved for college? (They earn about the same amount as yours, if middle class.)</p>
<p>I truly respect you for your accomplishments, and I mean it. But most admissions officers would give you an advantage over a rich kid precisely because of them.</p>
<p>Keil: just to clarify, we have very very recently became middle class. When i was little and my mom was still in school(until i was 10), we were on food stamps and such. They really haven’t had time to save. </p>
<p>But i guess i do see your point.</p>
<p>And FA officers will too. I started saving money for my son’s education before he was born. It took me about 20 years of work and worry. Now we don’t qualify for FA, and I accept that. In all honesty though, I sometimes wonder if it is fair that some of my friends never saved a penny and now their kids are getting need-based scholarships.</p>
<p>williamsdad-no, that definately isn’t fair especially if they had the opportunity to save. my parents were dumb and young when they had me. college wasn’t on their radar and times were tough. there was no opportunity and now i’m on my own. But, there are plenty that can and don’t…and that is wrong in my mind…especially if they plan on helping their kid pay</p>