Here’s The Right Number of Colleges You Should Apply To
Experts say that the magic number of colleges to apply to ranges between 12 to 15.
IvyWise, a college admissions consulting firm, recently discussed why applying to too many schools may not make for a smart strategy.
“The truth is, you can apply to too many colleges,” according to IvyWise. “Even the Common Application recognizes this and only lets students apply to a maximum of 20 colleges. However, many students get around this by creating multiple Common Application accounts. But when it comes to making smart application choices, even 20 colleges is too many to apply to.”
A POOR STRATEGY
Making your college list based on the numbers game, experts say, is poor strategy. For one, it can leave you with more work than you’re prepared to do and, in turn, lower the quality of each application.
“Even if you start all these applications in the summer, with such a high volume of colleges to apply to, all of this essay-writing will spill over into senior year – a time when students should really be focusing on their grades and extracurriculars,” according to IvyWise. “Theoretically, a student’s senior year should be the most academically challenging, and since colleges look for students to improve grades or maintain already high marks, it’s important not to let other things like excessive application essays take away from time that should be spent on current schoolwork.”
REACH, TARGET, SAFETY
The range of 12 to 15 isn’t definite. What matters more than the number of schools that you apply to, experts say, is the reach, target, and safety strategy behind your list.
“We want to have at least two safety schools,” Ian Fisher, director for educational counseling at College Coach, tells US News. “So you’ve got three target schools, and two reach schools to go with those two safeties.”
As you narrow down your list of schools, experts recommend focusing on fit.
“One of the most important things is thinking about this concept of fit and finding an institution where the student is really excited about the community that he, she or they are going to be surrounded by when they actually enter the institution,” Matthew Proto, vice president and dean of admissions and financial aid at Colby College in Maine, tells US News.
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