Most students Apply to 4 or fewer schools

<p>Although some students aiming for elite schools are pretty snobby when they look down at state schools, I think a lot of kids recognize that they could be very happy and get a wonderful education at that school. However, that doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t strive for a more competitive school - which usually does indicate at the very least a better quality of student. If a student wants to have a better chance at getting into a certain range of school, he should apply to more of them, even if he ultimately decides on the “lesser” school.</p>

<p>Had I not gotten in ED last year, there were schools on my list that I probably would have turned down for Rutgers, my state school. However, I also recognized how lousy I would feel if I went to RU only because I had been rejected everywhere else, rather than if I made the conscious decision to go there over a more competitive school. My philosophy is that you should give yourself a wealth of options.</p>

<p>Additionally, as I said before, kids with large lists are not ignoring the concept of “fit,” they are just acknowledging that being too choosy might leave them out in the cold. Also, although fit is important, students usually find their niche at any school. A girl in my HS was dying to go to Brown, and had the stereotypical personality for it. She did not get in, and her mother forced her to choose Tufts over Smith and Bard, two schools much closer to her personality. She was miserable at the prospect of going to a school full of “spoiled rich kids who don’t care about anything but what professional schools they get into.” Once she got there, however, she joined three different literary magazines, took classes that fit her interests, and is now very happy with a group of friends who share her interests.</p>