<p>Yeah I realized it’s probably not 1 cm, which is about 100 sheets tightly squeezed together. The Common App has 15 pages of application forms, college-specific supplement is typically 2 pages, and the typical applicant would add to that 2 pages of resume, perhaps 4 pages of essays, and maybe 5 pages of teacher recommendations. Then we have test scores from CollegeBoard, maybe 2 pages. HS transcripts, depending on school maybe 2 pages. Add to that 5 pages of extra stuff I can’t quite think of right now.</p>
<p>Assuming everything is single-sided, we now have at least 37 sheets, about 0.37 cm. I’m sure they make multiple copies of applications for multiple admission officers on admission committees, etc. Not sure if they would archive them. Still there are applicants who will send in many other supplements, including art, music, writing or research, and additional letters explaining special circumstances or just plain sucking up to adcoms. Plus the typical cardboard-ish material that an application folder is made of is probably as thick as at least 2 sheets of paper, so add 4 pages (2 for each cover). Let’s take 0.50 cm for our total.</p>