CMH College Consulting

As students begin to complete their college applications, the question of how many schools to apply to always comes up. While there is no magical number to guarantee acceptance, several rules of thumb come to mind: When applying to college, make sure you have visited the school, after all, this is where you will live for the next 4 years. If you really can't make it to the school, make sure you have thoroughly researched the school's web site as well as researched the surrounding area. Ask questions of people that have attended the school. Make contacts and communicate regularly with admissions staff. Don't apply to a school that you KNOW you won't attend; this is a waste of good time and money. This is not what is meant as a safety school. A "safety" school is not a guarantee. Instead, a "safety" school is one that you would be happy to attend, although not necessarily your first choice. This is a school that you are above, or at the top end of...

The 2009-2010 Common application went live on July 1. While summer is a great time to relax and do those things you didn't have time for during the school year, it's also a time to get ahead of the college application process. Looking forward to senior year, most students are carrying a heavy load. Class work and activities will quickly dominate your life again. Now is the time to make sure that you at least complete the basic information sections on your applications before the rush of the new school. Take time to gather your material and focus on doing a thorough job of completing and answering all the questions on your applications. The more you can do now, the less stress you will have in the fall!