Students started applying to a broader range of schools. Making a College List SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips What Colleges Should I Apply To? If youre in the early years of high school, you can narrow your choices down as you do more research into schools and take campus tours. Are you on par with other students? This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site. But depending on your situation, applying for as many colleges as you possibly can may not be the best strategy. That said, if you have your sights set on competitive schools, adding a few more to the mix is advisable. There is no magic number, but five to eight applications are usually enough to ensure that a student is accepted into a suitable institution (depending, of course, on the individual student's record and circumstances). hbspt.cta.load(360031, '4efd5fbd-40d7-4b12-8674-6c4f312edd05', {}); Have any questions about this article or other topics? Feature Image: Dejan Marjanovic / E+ / Getty Images. Discover the schools, companies, and neighborhoods thatarerightforyou. If youre admitted early decision, you have to withdraw your applications to any other colleges. "I advocate coming up with a quality list of about 6 to 12 schools, because schools want . Its generally good to apply to a small range of universities to increase your chances of getting into the best program for you. Applying to more schools could cut into your already heavy workload, and itll cost more money. Many schools offer waivers for students who want to apply but cant afford the application fee. Harvard University. And how should a student decide which colleges to include? The number of colleges you should apply to depends on your specific situation. College is expensive, but before you even get there itll cost you a decent chunk to apply. College admission decisions can be idiosyncratic. Everything you need to know about the college application process. When it comes to the number of colleges you should apply to, many experts suggest students submit four to eight applications, though some experts recommend submitting as many as 15 applications. You can roughly determine your odds of admission for each college by using the prepscholar admissions calculator. If youre deciding between multiple colleges at this point, youll only have a few weeks to potentially take. If youre eligible, you can use as many fee waivers as you need. However, the definition of a safety school varies depending on the applicant. However, unless you add something significant to your application, submitting a second application will not likely change your odds or outcomes. Additionally, it would be difficult to research so many schools. This is enough schools to make sure you cover your bases and have plenty of financial offers to compare, but not so many that you get overwhelmed. In fact, according to a National Association for College Admission Counseling study, only about one-third of students apply to seven or more schools. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. Ive mentioned it a couple of times, but if youre applying to 4-year colleges, you want to make sure that you have options. Many people need to take out loans to attend college. You might get into an academically safe school, but it could be out of your budget. On the other hand, if your list only contains schools that almost certainly will admit you, it's a good idea to add some reach schools. Every year, prospective college students wonder, "How many colleges should I apply to?" Finance, New York Times, Quartz, Inc. and more. This term refers to colleges whose requirements mean little chance of rejection for that applicant. How Much Can You Borrow In Student Loans. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations. Making a College List Posted by Rebecca Safier | Nov 2, 2020 9:00:00 AM College Admissions With more than 5,000 colleges to choose from across the country, you might be asking yourself, "What colleges should I apply to?" In this climate of competitive admission, students need your help building and finalizing their lists of colleges they plan to apply to. Here are a couple of hypothetical examples to illustrate some of the concepts that I explained above. Applying to one college is work. Though most universities are transparent that academic accomplishments matter, many consider a handful of other criteria, including community involvement, extracurriculars, background, and character. Safety Two to three of your selections should be colleges that, based on your qualifications, you should be a shoo-in to be admitted to. Even postage and printing fees can add up for physical applications. When to apply to college. If you feel confident about getting into your one safety school, you might take more of a risk and apply to more reach schools. this should reduce concerns that students will end up at a school that is too hard. This allows for some flexibility in choice of major, career plans, and potential financial aid or scholarship options. Low-income students, on average, ended up attending more selective schools as a result. You want to make sure you have the available options to make the right choice. While our clients apply to an average of 12-15 colleges, the "right" number is pretty subjective, and the truth is, the growing trend toward list expansion is entirely unnecessary. However, when the ACT changed their policy to allow students to send four scores for free, application decisions shifted dramatically and the majority of students switched to sending applications to four schools (aside from the $6, any additional application costs stayed the same). Its hard to imagine finding enough money to apply for one college application, especially if your family doesnt have immediate access to that kind of cash. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site. The benefits might be larger for students with more uncertainty (e.g. An award-winning historian and writer, Genevieve Carlton, Ph.D., has published multiple scholarly articles and a book with the University of Chicago Press. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. Experts typically suggest students apply to four to eight schools, however there are a few things worth considering to find your ideal number. If only a few colleges fit your specific needs, then you dont have to apply to a ton of colleges. A Comprehensive Guide. The application fee for each college you apply to can be up to $75. People might wonder about the downsides of applying to more schools, such as the cost. In her study, Pallais looked at how many schools students sent their ACT scores to. Are you ready to discover your college program? Because she's focused on selectivity, she may want to consider applying to more schools, but her time is limited. Also, she would prefer to be close to Atlanta. Here would be a sample list of schools to apply to for Josie: Reach Schools: Duke University and Vanderbilt University, Target Schools: Georgia Tech, Emory University, University of Virginia, College of William and Mary, Safety Schools: University of Georgia and Mercer University. To start, you want to apply as early as you can. If youre deciding between multiple colleges at this point, youll only have a few weeks to potentially take campus visits, compare the financial aid packages youre offered, and do any necessary research to pick a college. Also, y, Even though more and more colleges are using. But in the meantime, making sure that students apply to enough schools can be an important step in ensuring a better outcome for more young people. Learn application tips and increase your chances of getting into your dream school. Otherwise students will need to secure their classes with another form of payment while their aid is in process. It used to be that students could send their scores to three schools for free, and then pay $6 for each additional school. The campus team is also available to chat online at https://paradisevalley . Of course, applying to more schools implies additional time and financial commitments, so its important to be thoughtful about the number of colleges (and which colleges) you ultimately apply to. 1-3 "Reach" Schools (Schools with less than 20% chance of admission; Ex. U.S. News and World Reports offers a range offour to eight. As a general rule of thumb, some admissions experts recommend submitting applications to 4-12 schools. The more colleges that accept you, the more stressful and difficult these few weeks may be for you, if youre still unsure about which college is best for you. How Many College Applications Are Enough? The more prepared you are, the easier itll be for everyone involved. COVID-19 hit during my junior year of high school, which was for me, the ideal time to visit colleges. 4. Simply by applying to colleges where your student almost appears . Even before I started doing college research or waited to see which schools recruited me, my options were very limited. Students can complete a FAFSA application here or contact PVCC's financial aid team directly at 480-731-8900 or email financialaid@paradisevalley.edu. So applying to multiple schools is like a part-time job. 2. Lets take a closer look at each question: The only schools worth applying to are the schools you want to attend. There's no limit on the number of applications you can submit. Some dates you may want to be aware of are your entrance exam dates, when applications are due, when FAFSA is due, and when decisions come out. Dori Zinn has been a personal finance journalist for more than a decade. Check out our ranking of the Most Popular Colleges for All Acceptance Rates, to see popular schools that are both easy to get into and harder to get into. Use this handout to help students develop a list of colleges that interests them. You also want to include any supplemental materials allowed. Be sure to give yourself enough time to gather all the necessary materials and submit the best applications you can put together. When it comes to the number of colleges you should apply to, many experts suggest students submit four to eight applications, though some experts recommend submitting as many as 15 applications. Use the Common App: The Common App is a standardized application form many schools use to help students streamline their application process. 1. Brianna McGurran is the Loans Analyst for Forbes Advisor. In short, schools vary in their capacity, goals, resources, and focus, leaving considerable guesswork to applicants about where they might get in. The shorter your list, the higher your expectations, andif youve chosen schools that are strong fits for your academic backgroundthe higher the likelihood youll get accepted into your first few choices. All Rights Reserved. How many colleges should students apply to? Counselors also have great tips for completing applications more efficiently. Reach schools are the schools that youd like to go to if money and qualifications were no issue. Most recently, she was a staff writer and spokesperson at NerdWallet, where she wrote "Ask Brianna," a financial advice column syndicated by the Associated Press. The Power of Experiments: Decision Making in a Data-Driven World. Get the latest articles and test prep tips! Youll need to complete essays, transcripts, and pull together other documents just to complete one application. Experts say if money is a concern, as it is for many families of college . A study by economist Amanda Pallais found that when students submitted college applications to four schools, as opposed to three, there was a major positive outcome. She has a 3.9 weighted GPA and received a 2250 on the SAT. The good news is that they can be overcome. The University of California, San Diego wants $105 a pop. Additionally, there can be costs associated with sending standardized test scores and AP scores to colleges. www.bestcolleges.com is an advertising-supported site. The following sections explore safety, target, and reach groupings and what each category might look like. Most schools post the median, 25th percentile, and 75th percentile GPAs and test scores for their first-year classes on their websites. College Application How Many College Applications Are Enough? BestColleges.com is an advertising-supported site. The College Board recommends applying to 5-8 schools, with approximately 50% of those applications dedicated to your target schools. July 9, 2022 Application Strategies, Navigating the Admissions Process A great sculptor stares at a giant hunk of stone and can visualize, in their mind's eye, a finished work of art; the average person just sees a rock. Application costs vary by school, but most charge around $50. However, you should also view the costs of applying as an investment. Over 950 colleges accept the Common Application. Also, you can talk to your teachers, counselors, parents, current students, and alumni to help you narrow down your list of schools. Your college list should include a combination of the following: Target Schools Target schools are co lleges that check the majority of your boxes. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. , then you may only have to apply to one college. The truth is, many students would benefit from this strategy. How many colleges should I apply to? About three probable schools should make your list. Usually, if your GPA and standardized test scores are well below those of the average student at a very selective college (less than a 25% acceptance rate), your odds of gaining admission will be extremely low, and in some cases, virtually nil. Check out this article for a better understanding of the math behind this calculation. You also may want to impose deadlines upon yourself, like when to ask for your letters of recommendation, finalize your essay topics, and finish filling out the application form. In deciding when to apply, as well as how many colleges to apply to, students should consider financial aid implications. As with reach schools, applicants can identify target schools by researching the admitted students from the past admissions cycle. Not all students need to apply to more colleges. US News & World Report calculated that the average application fee across 889 universities was around $45, but some fees are as high as $100 [2]. This means paying for many applications is almost impossible for many families. How many schools should Josie apply to? If youre determined to go to a very selective college, then you may want to apply to more colleges than the average person. Dont forget to apply to safety schools. These colleges should be a mix of target, reach, and likely schools, any of which you'd be happy to attend. In fact, many applicants with financial needs might be surprised by some of the aid packages they are eligible to receive should they proactively seek more information. Colleges typically require an essay, which will account for a significant amount of the time you'll spend on your application. SAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination BoardTM. Personally, I would strongly discourage any student from applying to more than 15 colleges. A safety school offers applicants a strong chance of getting accepted. Berkeley, for instance, wont use SAT scores in the application process while Stanford traditionally requires them (though the school has made them optional for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years due to Covid). How Many Colleges Should I Apply To? How Many College Applications Are Enough? The truth is that the majority of colleges admit most applicants, according to a 2019 Pew Research Center report. Applying to 10 schools might mean writing 10 college application essays. If it's obvious to admissions advisors that you're recycling an old essay, it could hurt your application. Consider fewer colleges if: You need to stay within a certain budget. 2023 Forbes Media LLC. Prioritizing your college wants and needs is one way to narrow your college list to include only the schools that offer what youre looking for. Each additional score report costs $15. If youre struggling to afford college applications, you might qualify for a college application fee waiver. Heres our step-by-step guide to establishing a college application plan that works for you. The typical advice is to apply to 6 to 8 schools. These are incredibly selective colleges where you'd only be in the bottom 25% of applicants. Learn application tips and increase your chances of getting into your dream school. Dessert aficionado. He is passionate about helping students prepare for college and navigate their educational journey. At top colleges, the acceptance rates now stoop well into the single digits. How do I know whether to switch colleges? You want to customize each essay so that it fully answers the prompt. Check out our list of the best colleges for over 60 majors to find the schools that fit you best. The Forbes Advisor editorial team is independent and objective. Other possible scenarios include students who can only attend one school or program, possibly limited by location or program offerings. The question, " How many Colleges should I apply to? How many colleges should I apply to? Regardless of expert opinion, your college decisions depend highly on your wants and needs. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. It's understandable to ask, " How many colleges can you apply to .". 2023 Coursera Inc. All rights reserved. If you want the extra comfort of knowing you have a few schools to choose from, take the time to broaden your application list. Think about your strategy as if you were Goldilocks. Institutions with flexible admission standards are often treated as "safety" colleges. Safety schools are the ones that you expect to get into. This means that these schools receive far more qualified applicants than they are able to admit. What is the appropriate number? Getting loans discharged through bankruptcy: A number of speakers complained about how difficult it remains to have student loans discharged via bankruptcy despite recent changes. Only apply to colleges you'd be happy to attend. If youre accepted to a school that you apply to early decision, you have to attend. Many universities will publish information such as the SAT and ACT score ranges, high school GPA, and various demographics of the first-year students. How many colleges should you apply to? For instance, research by economists Jonathan Smith, Joshua Goodman, and Michael Hurwitz looked at students in Georgia, comparing students who just made the cut off to gain admission to four-year state schools to students who just missed the cut off. But more importantly, you should learn what you're really looking for in a school and . These have earlier application deadlines than regular decision but provide you with a decision sooner, usually by December. Experts often recommend applying to a mix of reach, target, and safety schools. Regardless, the investment paid off. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Small Differences That Matter: Mistakes in Applying to College, https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/pallais/files/smalldifferences.pdf. Accessed September 13, 2022. So what's the best way to narrow down your list of prospective schools? While its a mistake to evaluate schools solely based on their selectivity there are many other factors to consider (curriculum, majors, location, social support, class sizes, etc.) The college application process can be stressful and intimidating. 2. 1. Explore your options. If you try to do too many, you run a greater risk of lowering the quality of all your applications. Ive mentioned it a couple of times, but if youre applying to 4-year colleges, you want to make sure that you have options. Aside from your top choice, you can narrow down your list by categorizing your schools. Even though you dont meet every requirement, you apply with the expectation that the school will look at other parts of your application. George has a 3.6 weighted GPA and received a 28 on his ACT. This compensation comes from two main sources. How Many Colleges Should You Apply To? If you do the necessary research before you apply, you should be able to limit your list of schools to 15 or fewer. Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com, allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. Reach schools often include highly selective colleges that admit a small number of applicants. Here are a few factors that may limit the number of colleges you should apply to. He prefers a selective college, but that's not his biggest priority. The same applies to students who qualify for Pell Grants. To help a student finalize the list, ask the following questions: By the end of junior year, students should have five to 10 colleges under consideration. With a single application, you can apply to multiple schools without having to fill out a dozen or more individual applications or complete specialized essays.
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