How many colleges should my child apply to? Building a balanced U.S. college list

A typical number

Many boarding school students apply to about 8 to 12 colleges. The right number depends on how selective the list is, how much the family needs aid, and how much time the student has for essays. The balance of the list matters more than its length.

Three groups

• Reach (2–4). Colleges where admission is uncertain for almost everyone, or where the student's record is below the typical admitted range. Very selective colleges are a reach even for the strongest students.
• Target (3–5). Colleges where the student's grades, course rigor and any test scores sit in the middle of admitted students.
• Likely (2–3 or more). Colleges where the student's record is clearly above the typical range and the family can afford the cost. A likely college the student would not attend is not really on the list.

Use each college's published admission data (for example on College Navigator) and, above all, your school's own past results. Many boarding school counseling offices use tools such as Naviance or Scoir to show how earlier graduates did at each college. Read how to read a school's college counseling results.

Where the applications go

• Common App: accepted by most private colleges, up to 20 colleges per student.
• University of California: one UC application for its campuses, with a fall filing period ending November 30.
• Other systems: some colleges use their own forms, ApplyTexas or the Coalition application.

Most colleges add their own essays ("supplements"). Count them before finalizing the list. Twelve colleges with three short essays each is a lot of writing in the fall of senior year.

Choose the application plan for each college

Decide which college, if any, gets an Early Decision application, and where Early Action makes sense. Read Early Decision, Early Action, REA and Regular Decision explained before choosing.

Checks for international families

• Aid policy: many colleges are need-aware for international applicants, and only some offer meaningful aid to them. Run each college's Net Price Calculator and read its international aid page.
• English tests: check whether each college requires TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo for students at a U.S. high school.
• Home-country options: some families also apply in their home country. Put those dates on the same calendar.
• The I-20 step: after choosing, an F-1 student's record moves to the college's I-20. See how long the I-20 lets an F-1 student stay.

When to build the list

Start a long list in grade 11, visit or attend virtual sessions in the spring and summer, and settle a final list by early fall of grade 12. The grade 9 to 12 college timeline shows the steps. Read where boarding school graduates enroll in our college pathway guides, such as Tufts University and New York University, and browse boarding schools.

Cite this article as: USAnaru™ — https://usanaru.com/news/how-many-colleges-to-apply-build-a-list