3 Steps for Deciding How Many Colleges You Should Apply To

Many students wonder, “How many applications should I plan to submit?” Like most things in the college admissions process, there is not one answer to this question! So, how do you decide what is the right number for you? The following three tips will help you think through this important question.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8bYnFGsmhE&t=10s[/embed]

Step 1: You need to cover your bases in terms of being admitted to college and paying for it.

Covering your bases means having at least one college where you know you will get accepted, and also where you can afford tuition costs. If there is a school that checks off these boxes and that you feel is generally a good fit for you (a state or local school, for example), you may only need one college to secure a certain path to college. If there isn’t one school that easily checks those boxes, you may need 2-4 options in this category. To get an accurate picture of how much college will cost you and your family, complete a FAFSA 4Caster or Net Price Calculator, or reach out to a financial aid officer. If you need the ability to compare or negotiate financial aid packages, you’ll want more than one option in this category. Also keep in mind that if you aren’t certain of some of your selection criteria - for example, you don’t know if you want to be close to or far from home - you’ll want multiple “admit” decisions so that you can explore and choose in the spring.

Step 2: Decide whether merit scholarship money will be critical to you and your family.

If earning scholarship money is a top priority, you will need to apply to several additional colleges that give merit-based scholarship money. You place yourself in the running for scholarship money from colleges by applying to schools where you have a stronger academic profile than the average applicant – starting with GPA and test score data is a simple way to begin researching colleges where this might apply to you. This process takes some research and also means you may need to cast a wide net, because no scholarship is guaranteed. If you are more interested in a certain type of institution, fit, or name brand, you would not need to add additional schools to try to garner more scholarships. So, the more you want to be in competition for merit-based aid (not financial aid based on your family income, but simply on grades, test scores, even sports, etc.), the more colleges you need to add for this category.

Step 3: Decide how high you are reaching.

For many students who aspire to attending highly selective colleges, applying to several of these types of colleges makes sense because the odds of admission are so low. If you want to stretch for several dream schools, that’s great! Usually, these applications involve extra writing and larger application fees, so be sure to cover your bases and do your scholarship schools early (maybe even first) so that you don’t run out of energy applying to the Ivy League. Alternatively, if you only have one dream school and want to focus on that one, focusing in on one (especially via a binding Early Decision plan) can be a wise, strategic choice, too. You can spend more time proving fit and interest to that school if you are only focusing on one. Either strategy is fine, but be intentional as you add these schools to the list – reaching for too many can lead to burnout and a lot of “deny” letters at a time when you want options and celebrations.

Hopefully, by considering the three steps above, you have arrived at some sense of the right number of college applications for you. Depending on how certain you are of your “sure bet” college(s), how critical merit scholarship money is to you, and how much you want to “shoot for the stars,” the number of colleges on your list could vary widely. Remember - you are the one who knows best what number is the answer to this complex equation.

Helping students achieve their goals has been a cornerstone of Dr. Cook’s professional life. A former admissions officer and school counselor, Dr. Cook completed a Bachelors at Vanderbilt University, followed by a Masters degree from Columbia and a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia. In her career, she has advised students who have attended universities at the highest levels, in a wide range of majors, and all over the world. She has also officially visited over 120 college campuses and has extensive knowledge of postsecondary programs and choices. Dr. Cook has worked on the inside of college admissions, as well as in schools, counseling students and families as they apply, and has a lifelong passion for helping students to achieve best possible college outcomes in terms of college choice, financial options, and holistic fit.