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So… How Many Colleges Should You Apply To?
Our recommendation for the majority of our students: aim for around 8 to 12 colleges. Here’s why that range makes sense:
- Less than 5 – You risk not getting enough offers if you don’t include any backup (“likely”) schools.
- More than 15 – You might spread yourself too thin: less time per application, weaker essays, more stress.
- 8–12 is balanced – Gives you enough options to cover reach, target, and likely schools while still doing quality work on each.
Here’s a rough breakdown of your list:
- Reach schools (2–3): These are schools where your credentials might be slightly below the typical admit, or competition is extremely high with very low acceptance rates.
- Target schools (3–5): Schools where you’re reasonably well aligned with admitted students’ stats and you’d be happy attending.
- Likely schools (2–4): Schools where your credentials are above average for admitted students and you feel confident you’d be admitted.
With this structure, a list of 8–12 might look like: 2 reaches, 4 targets, 2 likely (that’s 8), or 3 reaches, 5 targets, 4 likely (that’s 12). Adjust based on your comfort zone, finances, geographic preferences, etc.
We often tell students: “Spend the time to make each application a gem. Quality beats quantity.”
Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.
In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other.
