How to decide which colleges to apply to?

Hi everyone, I'm a junior who's just starting the college search process. I'm feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of colleges out there. How did you guys decide which ones to apply to? Are there any factors that helped you narrow down your list? I'd really appreciate any advice. Thank you!

Hey there! I totally understand how overwhelming the college search process can be, especially with so many options out there. I went through this with my child not too long ago, so I hope I can offer some helpful advice. First, think about what factors are most important to you. This could include location, size of the school, available majors, campus culture, tuition cost, and financial aid opportunities. Make a list of your preferences and use that to guide your search. You can also talk to your school counselor for guidance and recommendations based on your academic profile and interests. Another great resource is college search websites, such as College Board's BigFuture or Niche, which allow you to filter schools based on your preferences. Visiting campuses, either in person or virtually, can also give you a better sense of whether a school feels like the right fit for you. Don't forget to consider the application requirements, such as standardized test scores and essays, and make sure you can realistically manage the workload of applying to each school. Finally, I recommend applying to a mix of reach, target, and safety schools to maximize your chances of getting accepted to a college that you'll be happy attending. Reach schools are those where your academic profile is below the average accepted student, target schools are those where you fit right in the middle, and safety schools are those where you exceed the average profile. It's a good idea to have a few options in each category. Best of luck with the process, and remember that the most important thing is finding a college where you'll be happy and successful. You've got this!