What’s the magic number?

How many colleges should you apply to?

Maybe as many as 9 or 10. Maybe as few as 2 or 3. But we recommend 6:

• Two “safety” schools. You’re almost guaranteed to get accepted into these colleges.
• Two “reasonable” colleges. You’re competitive with other applicants to these colleges, but there’s a chance you might not get accepted.
• Two “reach” schools. Your test scores or other qualifications fall a little short, but you would still like to attend these colleges.

Now you have to choose those six schools.

And each choice is equally important.

Although you might have a favorite (maybe you would do almost anything to get into Princeton!), you may eventually attend one of your “safety” or “reasonable” schools. Choose and apply only to colleges and universities you will be happy at.

I know that can be tough to determine from thousands of miles away! But after you have narrowed your choice of colleges to a dozen or two, you can refine your list even further in three more steps.

1. Visit. An in-person campus visit is always best, but sometimes that just isn’t possible. Instead, check if the college has an online tour of the campus. The college also may be able to send you a thorough information packet on the school. The more pictures of the campus, the better!

2. Contact current students. Ask the college to give you the name and email address of a student you can ask questions to. Or contact the leaders of a campus group you’re interested in. The admissions office or international student services will be happy to answer your questions, but you can find out how a student feels only by asking a student!

3. Speak with professors, faculty or students with your major. What are the most popular classes in your field? Where have graduates gotten jobs? Are the students happy with their choice of major? Why or why not?

By now only a few colleges should remain on your list. If your list is still too long, there’s one more thing you can try:

Close your eyes. Can you imagine becoming a student there?

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