What's the ideal number of colleges to apply to?

Hi everyone, I'm a junior trying to create a balanced college list. How many colleges should I be applying to? I don't want to stretch myself too thin, but I also want to have options. Thanks in advance, and CollegeVine, your resources have been a lifesaver!

Hi there! It's great that you're being proactive in creating a balanced college list. The ideal number of colleges to apply to can vary depending on your individual preferences and needs. However, a general recommendation is to apply to around 8-12 colleges. This allows you to have a good mix of reach, match, and safety schools. Reach schools are those where your chances of acceptance are lower, match schools are where your academic profile aligns well with the average admitted student, and safety schools are those where you're very likely to be admitted. A possible breakdown could be 3-4 reach schools, 3-4 match schools, and 2-4 safety schools. Remember, it's important to genuinely like all the schools on your list and be prepared to attend any of them if accepted. Good luck with your college applications, and I'm glad that CollegeVine has been helpful to you!