How many schools do you plan to apply?

Question

I think this question must have been asked many times... at least once per year?

I am wondering how many schools people usually apply to, and how many is too many?

Recalling back to the college applications, I only submitted 5 applications (1 was for state unis so it was one app for all and let me squeeze in many more schools).
I remember writing essays (long & short) for the app process took forever, and that was when I was still a student and didn't need to worry about the full-time job!
My current strategy is like this:
2 reach
4 schools of 50-50
2 safties

This bring the total to 8 schools, and that's probably... safe to say over 20 essays to write about? Sounds daunting to me.

Also, how can you pick the recommenders?
Do I have to pile 8 recommendation forms on "the chosen one's" desk?
Sounds like it will take weeks to get the recommendations finished....

In any case, some opinions in this will be greatly appreciated.
If someone can share his/her experiences, that'll be even more fantastic!
Thanks in advance.

Also, how can you pick the recommenders? Do I have to pile 8 recommendation forms on "the chosen one's" desk? Sounds like it will take weeks to get the recommendations finished.... In any case, some opinions in this will be greatly appreciated. If someone can share his/her experiences, that'll be even more fantastic! Thanks in advance.

riverripper · Answer

8 is a lot. I think 3 per round is a good balance...unless you are throwing an ED in there. Doing 3 for R1 last year was tough, talking with folks they said that by the time you get to #5 you are starting to get burned out and quality starts to slip a little.

fatb · Answer

Wow, thanks for the fast reply!

Ya, i was thinking of squeezing all 8 in first round may be too ambitious....
I might do 1 ED, 4 for round 1, and 3 for round 2....
Try to squeeze everything in early because early app will still be considered for later rounds, right? Figure the chances are maximized this way.....

On a different note, I'd most likely apply to Kellogg's next year :-D

Going for the consulting route, so am looking up those schools right now.

Going for the consulting route, so am looking up those schools right now.

bherronp · Answer

Just don't call it Kellogg's :wink:

fatb · Answer

Opps.. I'll call it Special K from now.... :oops:

ko · Answer

I'm going to apply to a total of 5 schools. Probably 3 or 4 in R1, and then 1 or 2 in R2.

I'm using three or four different recommenders, so they won't all have to write 5 recommendations. If you really end up applying to 8 schools, I would consider lining up more than 2 recommenders.

isa · Answer

as of now, I have 8 schools on my list. I plan to apply to all of them...we'll see how that works out. :roll:

Raabend · Answer

6 total. How many in round 1 will be determined by how good the quality is before submission....and smart planning.

jasonc · Answer

5 schools - likely 3-4 in R1, and rest in R2

3 recommenders - 5 from manager, 3-4 each from the other 2 (HBS/Stanford require 3)

solaris1 · Answer

Also looking at 5 from a shortlist of 7.

1 ED, 2 R1 and 2 R2.

Good luck to everyone!

sonibubu · Answer

6 schools total:

-3 in R1
-3 in R2/RD

agold · Answer

Somewhere between 6-8 schools. I am still finalizing the list.

It will be 4-7 schools R1

1-3 schools R2

Yahsek · Answer

5 schools: 2 R1, 3 R2.

highhopes · Answer

I will probably apply to 5 (3 & 2). If an admissions person asked me how many schools I was applying to, I don't think I could justify my answer very well if I picked any more than that.

I'd only apply to 3 (assuming I got into one of those three) if not for the app deadline/decision deadline trickery they use to make more money.

kryzak · Answer

like river, I recommend against more than 6 total (3 in each round, or 4 in R1 and 2 in R2). You can check on "nervousgmat's" posts to see how she did 8, and even then, she gave up on one of the interviews.

8 is just too much to focus your attention on, let alone ask your recommenders to write so many letters.

8 is just too much to focus your attention on, let alone ask your recommenders to write so many letters.

fooFighter · Answer

I'm going to apply to 5 schools.

1 ED school.

Then my 2 "dream schools" in round 1.

And finally the remaining 2 schools (where i feel more confidant of an acceptance) in round 2.

If I get an acceptance from the ED or Round 1 schools I'll drop round 2.

navy01 · Answer

Columbia, NYU and Wharton...if my husband is in NYC

Chicago and Kellog...if my husband is in Chicago

Hass and Stanford...if my husband is in the Bay Area

fatb · Answer

Ya... I was thinking of dropping the safties....
I am trying to come to a decision if bschool is worth going to if I cannot make it in the.. say... top 15 schools.

I was considering just local regional schools like rutgers or SUNY as safeties. (Ya, I am in the NY/NJ area)

Maybe I should cut the safety school down to just 1? since rutgers seems to be more respectable than any business school from the SUNY system. Can someone comment on this?
Thanks a lot for everyone's help/opinions so far. :-D

kryzak · Answer

when will you know where your husband will be?

sam77sam7 · Answer

Hello all,

I am going for 4 in R1 -
Kellogg
Duke
Michigan
And Undecided - but probably Chicago GSB

And maybe 2 in R2 - (maybe)
Yale
NYU

I will wait and see how my interviews/etc go in R1 before I evaluate R2 options. Don't want to overdo it with my recommenders, since I have only 2.

I had dreams of applying to Harvard, but I have decided their endowment doesn't need my extra 250. :wink:

~Sam

How many schools do you plan to apply?

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