In an August Forbes column, counselor Brennan Barnard describes a trend he calls application maxxing: students stacking research, internships and activities, then applying to 20 or more schools on the theory that more is better. He asked admissions leaders to respond. Penn’s admissions director said the students who stand out write about ordinary moments, not award-stage ones. UChicago’s dean said students should be “interest maxxing” instead. Colorado College’s enrollment chief said a thoughtful list of about ten schools beats twenty-plus, and mentioned a student who applied to 66.
What this means for your student
It’s the same problem the Harvard trial record put a name to. A file full of good things with nothing to argue for gets labeled “standard strong.” More activities don’t fix that; a clear thread does. And a longer list mostly multiplies supplements and disappointment.
Related reading
Sources: Forbes, “College Admission Maxxing: A Troubling Trend” (Aug. 1, 2026).