What is the average number of colleges applied to per student?

The majority of students submitted 3, 4, 5 or 6 applications, according to the counselors, consistent with the recommended number of applications. More than 90 percent of the counselors reported that their students submitted 10 or fewer applications.

What is the average number of college applications per student?

Most students submit 1-5 college applications

It is skewed toward a lower number of applications with a slight uptick in the number of students submitting 20. The share of students applying to more than 10 colleges shot up from 8% to 17% between 2014-15 and 2021-22.

How many universities do most students apply to?

Although experts often recommend applying to four to eight schools, there is no strict limit to the number of colleges you can apply to. If you're applying through the Common App, you can apply to up to 20 schools on a single profile.

Is 20 colleges too many to apply to?

While there's no cap on the number of schools you can apply to, some students, especially those from affluent backgrounds who want to go to a selective college, can go overboard, applying to more than 20 or 30 colleges. Personally, I would strongly discourage any student from applying to more than 15 colleges.

Is 15 colleges too many to apply to?

There's no magic number for the number of colleges you should apply to, but there are some general guidelines. Apply to 5-8 colleges. If the schools you're interested in are extremely selective, then you may want to fill out more applications, but going over 15 isn't recommended.

The Average Student's College Application Process

Is it crazy to apply to 20 colleges?

The College Board recommends that high school seniors narrow down their application list to five to eight schools. It's okay to stray a little outside this range, but as a general rule of thumb you should aim to reach those numbers because sending more than ten applications can have drastic consequences.

Is 17 colleges a lot to apply to?

It all depends on the student and their needs. At IvyWise, we advise that students apply to about 10-15 best-fit colleges, with as close to an even distribution of target, reach, and likely colleges as possible. For some students, one is all they needed to apply to because they were accepted Early Decision.

Is applying to 30 colleges too much?

Students should become experts in each college, and it's hard to learn everything you need to about a school in order to craft a compelling application if you're also applying to 30 other institutions. In short – the higher the number of applications the lower their quality.

Is 12 colleges too many to apply to?

In general, most students apply to between 8 and 12 colleges. This is a good range to aim for, provided that the applications you submit represent a broad variety of colleges. Ideally, you want to apply to at least two safety, four target, and two reach schools.

Is 10 colleges enough to apply to?

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). This number should be made up of a combination of “safety,” “match,” and “reach” colleges.

What is the #1 top college?

Is applying to 13 colleges too much?

Consider other factors like financial aid, deadlines, and the possibility of visiting campus. Students and those who support them often ask how many colleges they should apply for. As with nearly everything in college admission the unsatisfying answer is, “it depends:” the answer could range between 5 to as high as 15.

Is 7 colleges enough to apply to?

The short answer is no. The length of your college list depends on how many safety, target, and reach schools you want to apply to. The average number of colleges students apply to is 7 to 12.

Can colleges see how many colleges you apply to?

Rest assured they won't find out unless you tell them. That being said, you want to make sure that every piece of your application to each college screams, “I want you!” Colleges are shockingly insecure about whether a competitive student would enroll if admitted. Your interest in them can factor into the decision.

What is the most applied college in 2023?

UCLA is the most applied-to university in the country. For Fall 2023, UCLA received a total of 170,047 applications—145,910 from prospective freshmen and 24,137 from students hoping to transfer in their junior year. This dashboard displays current admissions data and historic trends.

Why are colleges getting so many applications?

Here are two of the major reasons for the increased competitiveness in college admissions: There are more students, and many of these students are applying to more schools. Many of today's college applicants are part of what's referred to as the “Echo Boom” – kids of Baby Boomers and beyond.

Is applying to 8 colleges too much?

It's not necessarily "bad" to apply to a lot of colleges, but it can be overwhelming and expensive. It's important to carefully consider the schools you're interested in and make sure they are a good fit for your academic, social, and financial needs.

Is 9 colleges too many to apply to?

Experts disagree on a specific number of schools applicants should aim for, with recommendations ranging anywhere from four to 15. The College Board suggests students apply to between four and eight colleges.

Why can I only apply to 20 colleges on common app?

Common App member colleges have stipulated that applicants may add up to 20 colleges. The college list cannot be expanded for any applicant.

Is applying to 40 colleges too much?

40 is too many

First and foremost, unless you have unlimited funds to spend on application fees or your student qualifies for the fee waiver, you'll be spending thousands of dollars on application fees. And even if either of these is the case, applying to 40 colleges simply doesn't make sense.

Is applying to college too stressful?

If working on your apps is stressing you out, take a break and do something that reduces anxiety. According to the National Institutes of Health, going outdoors, getting more sleep, doing activities you enjoy, exercising for 30 minutes, journaling, and seeing friends all alleviate stress.

Is 19 colleges too many?

While there is no specific limit, applying to 20 colleges may be excessive for most students. It can be time-consuming, costly, and may spread your efforts thin. A more manageable number is typically around 8-12 colleges, including a mix of reach, match, and safety schools.

How many Ivy Leagues should I apply to?

The simple answer is this: You should apply to as many Ivy League schools as you want to, and applying to all of them neither increases nor decreases your chances of getting accepted (aside from the diminishing returns factor we just discussed, of course). More > > > What Factors Distinguish One School From Another?

Is applying to 14 colleges too many?

14 is not CRAZY but it will be a lot of work and money that probably is not necessary! Just apply to schools you would actually attend if you got in, whether your list is 10 or 20 doesn't matter (if you can afford it and have time to do apps) as much as only spending time on a school you see yourself at.

Is MIT on the Common App?

MIT does not use Common App, Coalition App, or the Universal College Application. Instead, MIT uses its own application system and process, so your child will need to write new essays or reuse excerpts from the Common App Essay or UC essays.