Please help suggestions for colleges for my daughter [CA resident, 3.67 UW, 1420 SAT, for Psychology]

[AustenNut]

I’m not sure if this was the post that @lkg4answers was thinking of, but perhaps this message might be helpful:

@AustenNut

Since you have a likely that you’d be happy with, you’re now thinking of having an extremely reach-heavy list. What happens if April 1 rolls around and you only have 1 acceptance and 20+ rejections/waitlists?

For some people, rejection is like a fuel that fires them up to be even more awesome and incredible where they land and prove all the naysayers wrong. For individuals like that, it’s okay to have a very reach-heavy list.

Most people, however, feel hurt when they get a rejection/waitlist. And if they get an acceptance in the fall and then rejection after rejection after rejection after rejection after rejection after rejection after rejection after rejection after rejection after rejection (and I only typed out 10 rejections), it can have a real impact on their emotional and mental health. Even if they get one acceptance, ten rejections, and then another acceptance, a string of rejections can still cause a serious toll on the person.

Additionally, even if they were happy with their sure thing, they can start to doubt the school and their acceptance. Is that school really any good if it was the only one that accepted them? This is just a downward spiral that is far more common than I prefer.

Generally, I find that most people do better with more acceptances than rejections. That doesn’t mean that’s what’s right for you, but I would strongly urge you to have some serious introspection on this issue and talk with your family about possible impacts if admissions decisions don’t go the way you want them to and then craft your application list accordingly.