Panic Applying to College

It's happening here a little earlier than it normally does, but it's not uncommon at all.  I call it "panic applying," and it's simply this: a student thoughtfully makes out her application list but then suddenly, without rhyme or reason, starts adding colleges to that list.  From what I can tell it happens for a couple of reasons. 

First, students start to worry that they're not going to get in anywhere, and consequently they think they need to add more schools to their list.  But more often than not, they don't give as much thought to the schools they are adding, and their list becomes quite random.  They forget about what they were looking for in the first place. Second, some students start adding schools after listening to their friends.  It's the "grass is always greener" effect.  Their best friend(s) is applying to seven colleges, and their list looks better to you than yours does. So they start changing their list or adding to it.

Sometimes panic applying doesn't happen until second semester.  By then the student starts second-guessing her college list.  Maybe she doesn't really like "that college" after all.  Maybe it's too big, too small.  Maybe it's too far away, too close.  Fortunately, an additional visit to campus usually reminds her why it was a good fit to begin with, and she can relax.  But not always, and then she feels the urge to apply to just one or two more schools.

No matter the reason, it happens every year.  So if you feel the need to add more colleges to your list, talk to your counselor and your parents.  Carefully review your criteria and see if it makes sense to add an additional school.  Sometimes it might, but more often than not, you might just be "panic applying."