Is it advisable to apply to a lot of colleges or should I narrow down my list?

Hi everyone! I'm a junior who's starting to put together a list of colleges to apply to. I've been told that it's a good idea to apply to a lot of colleges to increase my chances of getting in somewhere, but I also don't want to spread myself too thin. What's a good number of colleges to apply to? Should I focus on quality over quantity? Thanks for your help!

Hey there! It's great that you're already starting to think about your college list as a junior. In terms of the number of colleges to apply to, there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer, but I can share some thoughts based on my own experience with my child's college application process. It's generally a good idea to have a balanced list, which includes a mix of reach, target, and safety schools. This strategy can help ensure that you have a reasonable chance of being accepted into at least one college, while still aiming for your dream schools. My child applied to around 10-12 schools, which seemed to be a manageable number. It allowed them to focus on crafting high-quality applications for each school without feeling overwhelmed. So, I would suggest focusing on quality over quantity, but make sure you have a range of options in your list. Ultimately, it's important to choose the number of schools that you feel comfortable managing during the application process. Best of luck!