Carita Del Valle

Founder
Academic Decisions

There is no magic number for students when deciding how many schools should be on their "list." Each client is different and has unique qualifications that are specific to their circumstances. (i.e.m cost, programs, location, legacy family) Certainly, more than 10-12 schools can be overwhelming and expensive so I encourage my clients to narrow the list down before application season.

Rebecca Joseph

Executive Director & Founder
getmetocollege.org

It's not the number--it's the type of colleges. Most students should have an equal number of reach, stretch, 50-50, and likely schools. If your list is top heavy, then you will need to have more colleges on your list. Start with 8 to 10 colleges and see if that's enough. If it's not, then add on. The online process makes it easier, but applying to colleges takes time and lots of effort. Don't apply to...

Nancy Milne

Owner
Milne Collegiate Consulting

I recommend 6-8 applications. Think of having 2 in each category with some room to spare if you just can't let go of a couple. Managing more than that can get crazy, keeping track of essay topics, deadlines, etc. Plus, if you haven't narrowed your choices down by the time you apply, it isn't going to be much easier once you learn of your acceptances. The more realistic you are during this entire...

Zahir Robb

College Counselor
The Right Fit College

I typically recommend that students apply to 8 or so schools, with a couple of safeties and a couple of reach schools. If you approach the process in earnest you should be able to find the right amount of schools to fit this model. Remember that "safety" schools should be schools that you want to attend, and the same goes for "reach" schools. Don't just apply to MIT as a reach, make sure it is the...

Lora Lewis

Educational Consultant
Lora Lewis Consulting

These days, it's not uncommon for students to apply to upwards of 15 schools. In some cases, this is because they can't narrow down their schools of interest, but more often it's a strategy born of fear, and the belief that the more applications you submit, the better your chances of being accepted. While this may have some element of truth, you should also consider the possibility that submitting...

Joyce Vining Morgan

Founder and college counselor
Educational Transitions

Short reply: it depends. If Early Decision or Single Choice Early Action, one (and tentative applications to others "Regular Decision" or "Early Action"); if finances are not an issue, 5-8; if finances are an issue 8-12. Generally, one third could be reaches, and one third safeties (if you believe there's safety in this process!). And that's a VERY rough estimate, definitely not a "one answer fits...

Kiersten Murphy

Executive Director and Founder
Murphy College Consultants LLC

8-10 colleges. 2 likely options, 4 possible and 2 reaches

Megan Dorsey

SAT Prep & College Advisor
College Prep LLC

The number of schools a student applies to depends in part on the student, his or her interests, and the competitive nature of the schools to which he or she is going to apply. For the sake of practicality I usually recommend between 5-10. This allows students to get a good balance of schools and to find a good fit without going overboard. However, some students who are applying highly selective...

Jessica Brondo

Founder and CEO
The Edge in College Prep

Many college guidance counselors (including myself) say that nine is about as many colleges as you should consider. Any more than that, and it becomes difficult to really focus on your applications and target each one. If you've got too many schools, they all tend to run together in your head, and it's harder to think about why you really, really want to go to each one. If you don't really, really want...

Christine Loo

College Guidance Counselor
Archbishop Molloy High School

A list of 6-10 schools is optimal. Out of these schools, 2-3 should be reach schools. These are schools where your GPA and standardized test scores are slightly below what the school is looking for in their middle 50%. 2-3 should be true safety schools. These are schools where your GPA and standardized test scores are above what the school is looking for in their middle 50%. Finally, 3-4 schools...