［西西妈子女教育群组文选］College Selection & Strategy:Before you even begin writing your applications, you have to decide where you actually want to send those precious words. It’s really a crucial beginning to the college process, one that you certainly shouldn’t treat lightly!Basically, my primary piece of advice is VISIT!! Nothing can replace the first feeling you get when you step onto a campus, whether positive or negative. And make sure you get the most out of your visit when you are there. Definitely try to visit during a good time in the school’s calendar (not during their break or finals week for example). If possible, meet up with someone you know who attends the university, so you can get a student perspective and also visit some of the more private areas (dorms, dining halls, etc.). Sure, you’re there to get that first impression, listen to an admissions presentation, and take the guided tour. But you also want to really get a sense of the school. And I think the best way of doing that is actually talking with real students. Most people (provided they are friends of yours) would be happy to show you around for half an hour or something. Of course, visiting doesn’t replace research. You should have a general idea of how residential and academic life work at each of the colleges, something you can get a sense of through places like College Confidential and College Prowler. Oftentimes it’s the non-academic things (housing structure, location, etc.) that really make you love a school.In all likelihood, you’ll start with a pretty long list of colleges, which then needs to be slowly pared down. Pick the ones that you actually would want to go to. Not because of the name or the prestige, but because you visited, or looked them up online, and feel in love with their location, their students, their classes, something. Even amongst your safety schools, pick the ones that you would be happy going to (ones that hopefully also offer lots of merit aid!). The key is having balanced slate of schools, some safeties, some “matches,” and some reaches. And in each category, the schools you pick should be ones that you love.In selecting the number of schools to apply to, there are two differing opinions to balance. On one hand, college applications cost a tremendous amount in effort and money. Between the application fee, score reports, and other stuff, it will likely work out to around $100 a school. And the mountain of supplements will take forever to get through. But on the other hand, you don’t want to be left with regret afterwards, asking yourself what would’ve happened had you applied to that other “reach” school. No one can decide what the right balance is for you, how many you should apply to is a choice that you must make.Part of the overall strategy for minimizing the number of applications is using your early application abilities well. I most certainly recommend applying to at least one of your schools early. For most schools, applying ED gives you somewhat of an admissions edge, while applying EA doesn’t (though this is still hotly debated). Also consider that some schools are SCEA and some schools aren’t. You can apply to MIT, UChicago, and CalTech all early together, or pick just one of HYPS. Choosing that early school is a delicate proposition. The “lower” on your list you go, the more likely you are to be accepted, so the more likely you are to avoid applications to schools lower on the list (“safeties”). But the flip side is wanting to hear from your top choice early, and possibility of being done with this hellish process in December. It’s a decision you have to consider and make for yourself.
