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<p>There are certainly other reasons to keep applying to additional schools. My D got into an EA school that is difficult to get into and high on her list, but it is not necessarily her top choice (she did not have a “dream school”). Although she has shortened her college list by a couple of colleges because of this, she has not stopped applying. Here are some of the reasons:</p>
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<li>Finances. The EA school is expensive, and while she got a small merit scholarship, it will clearly run a lot more money than some other schools on her list. We can probably cover the cost of the EA school, but want to make a value to cost comparison of her options before she makes a final decision.</li>
<li>Uncertainty. I am a person who would not take advantage of early voting in an election unless I had to because I always want every last scrap of information, and because I believe that “s*** happens” right up until the last minute. (I live in a state where our sitting senator died eleven days before the election on year – if I had voted for him early, it would have cost me the option of voting for the party I prefer. Haven’t forgotten this lesson.) I look at college admissions the same way. Until May 1, I want D to have options that are close to home and affordable in addition to a pricier option. I can think of a few family scenarios (illness on her part or another family member, financial issues – the fiscal cliff has a change of having a signficant deterimental impact on my finances, etc.) that might make her wish for options other than her EA school. At some point she has to decide, but not for four more months.</li>
<li>Different schools DO have different strengths (even Harvard is not the best at everything, and certainly other schools are as good in several programs). And they have different “flavors”. My D is interested in Physics… but there is a big difference between studying at a place like University of Chicago vs. Harvey Mudd vs. Swarthmore vs. Reed. She isn’t sure enough that the EA environment is the one she wants, and would like to attend admitted students day at a few other schools (if she gets in) to confirm the best fit with other admitted students.</li>
<li>As sally305 said, kids can change a lot in that period prior to May 1 (see “s*** happens”). My D might decide to shift her interest back to epidemiology (her passion for a couple of years before discovering physics). That could mean that a different school on her list suits her preferences better when May 1 comes.</li>
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<p>I would say that the OP only hears this other person bragging about their Harvard admission, but there may be some legitimate reasons why this guy would apply to more schools.</p>
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<p>Texaspg, why do you say this? It certainly isn’t public information. I hear vague rumors about sharing of information between schools, but I do not actually believe everything I hear about this. Do you have some knowledge that can be verified that they are doing this?</p>