subject: College Application Tips: Finalizing Your College List [print this page] College Application Tips: Finalizing Your College List
Just how many college applications is enough? With so many colleges and universities to choose from, it is important that you narrow down your choices and make a list of those that are a good fit. In other words, you need to have a final list of your school choices. In doing so, you need to identify the colleges that offer the course you want to pursue. It is also important that your list includes the campus life that offers the opportunities that you want.
You need to keep in mind that there is no perfect college. Your goal is to apply to colleges and universities that can provide you your academic and personal needs.
Apply to Several Colleges
Generally, as college counselors would advise you, your college list should include 5 to 8 colleges. However, there may be students that would want to submit less or more.
In order to make sure that you have options later, applying to a diverse range of colleges and universities is advisable. However, you need to be realistic about your application strength.
You can choose 1 or 2 colleges that you think you are very confident with. At least you think you have a 90% to 100% chance of being accepted and that you know you can afford studying there. These colleges are known as the "safeties".
You also need to choose 2 to 4 colleges that you think you have at least 75% chance of getting in. These are your "probables", colleges that are close to what you are looking for and most likely have the chance of being accepted.
The last set is your "reach college". These are colleges that may pose application challenges but applying is worth a try. You may choose 1 to 2 schools for this group.
Though there is no strict rule regarding the number of applications you should send, it is still wise to ensure that your invested time, effort and money are all worth it. Do not waste these valuable resources. Try to avoid sending out too much. Just try to focus and concentrate on the colleges that you really are interested in.
