2. Emphasizing a few, select school choices that are "perfect" for the student.

The average number of colleges a competitive high school student applies to is four. However applying to as many as seven to ten is a much better idea. Application fees are very easily waived and do not ordinarily require extensive financial background information. Often simply a phone call to the appropriate college office or a check on the application where it applies will suffice. Information required on applications is fairly universal. It is time-consuming and labor-intensive, but certainly not a mentally taxing process to fill out the majority of an application. Furthermore, the Common Application is an application form accepted by many schools, so a student may only need to fill out one application for six schools. They must remember however to fill out the Common Application supplement for each individual school. It is better not to have regrets later about where one applied, and give the student as many choices as possible come springtime when admissions decisions are sent out. Applying to many schools does not affect a specific school’s view on the applicant. A school cannot obtain such information unless it is provided by the student him/herself on the application. Financial aid offers will differ greatly from school to school regardless of your socio-economic status and strength of the application. Having a full, diverse selection of aid packages to choose from may be key to making that final selection. Also applying to many schools may lead to more openmindedness with school choices. Why not apply to that extra reach school? Why not apply to that film or art school? Instead of having to "narrow down" a few select schools foster a sense of diversity in selection. If you are pushing your son or daughter to go to your alma mater that they loathe, they will put up much less of a fight in applying to it if it is merely one of many schools they are applying to. There is a reduced pressure of being locked in to a few school choices and feeling tense about admissions responses -- less pressure and tension is better for everyone!