How Many Colleges to Apply To

Today I wanted to talk with you about how many colleges you should apply to. 

Ideally, when thinking about how many to apply to, you want to apply to somewhere between five and ten colleges, maybe fifteen at the absolute max, but that would be only if you’re applying to some of those hyper-competitive colleges that accept fewer than ten percent of eligible candidates, where it’s almost like winning the lottery to get in. 

But apart from that, five to ten is really the sweet spot. You want to have at least five because you want options; you don’t want to put all of your eggs into one basket. 

Your list of colleges should have a combination of safety schools, where you’re all but guaranteed in; some fit schools, where you have the grades and scores and a good shot, but it’s not a guarantee; and some reach schools because, if you’ve got a dream, you should reach for it. Why not? 

At least one college on your list should be someplace you can commute to in case of emergency. There was a pandemic; that was an emergency. And some people chose to go to the college they could commute to because that’s what fit them right then. You want to have those options. That’s the name of the game: options. 

If you have more questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 732-556-8220. Solution Prep is here to help.