Anonymous
05/08/2026 22:50
Subject: Is 12 schools too many to apply to or too few?
Anonymous wrote:Seems right. DS over-applied imo (about 21 schools, including 5 from the UCs, so maybe that should count as 16 since its the same app?), mostly because he is in an oversubscribed major, from a large public, and aiming at the ivies. So results could have been anything.
How did this work out? DD will be in a similar boat (instate for UCs and counting that as 1 app).
Anonymous
05/08/2026 22:48
Subject: Is 12 schools too many to apply to or too few?
12 reach schools, that’s about right. Reach schools are lottery, numbers game. Apply to as many as possible, provided that your DC is able to write good essays.
Anonymous
05/08/2026 22:39
Subject: Is 12 schools too many to apply to or too few?
Anonymous wrote:5 is the consensus of this board.
First I’ve heard that. The general consensus I’ve seen here is between 8-12.
Anonymous
05/08/2026 20:03
Subject: Is 12 schools too many to apply to or too few?
Mine applied to 12 but he had no real safety and was chasing merit.
Anonymous
05/08/2026 19:39
Subject: Is 12 schools too many to apply to or too few?
way too few. applied to 37. numbers game. worked out great T10 with full ride
Anonymous
05/08/2026 19:27
Subject: Is 12 schools too many to apply to or too few?
5 is the consensus of this board.
Anonymous
05/08/2026 19:21
Subject: Is 12 schools too many to apply to or too few?
My kids each applied 24 each, but at least 4 of them were on the UC application, which is basically one app. In our case, it was good they applied to many reaches since it gave them some options during RD and both really wanted to attend a mid-sized private college.
Anonymous
05/08/2026 19:09
Subject: Re:Is 12 schools too many to apply to or too few?
Firstborn did 16 (too many)
Second kid 12 (prob could have done fewer).
They both got accepted to T20s, a T-10 or Ivy and every other school below that.
Second kid 12 (prob could have done fewer).
They both got accepted to T20s, a T-10 or Ivy and every other school below that.
Anonymous
05/08/2026 19:04
Subject: Is 12 schools too many to apply to or too few?
One kid said they had set out to apply to 25. In the end they did 15 after realizing each one application requires planning, time & patience.
Anonymous
05/08/2026 19:01
Subject: Is 12 schools too many to apply to or too few?
On a tour of a private university, the student tour guide said she had applied to 30 in '24-25
Anonymous
05/08/2026 18:51
Subject: Is 12 schools too many to apply to or too few?
Perfect 4 safeties, 4 targets and 4 reaches. Just be sure to be happy with the safeties.
Anonymous
05/08/2026 18:36
Subject: Is 12 schools too many to apply to or too few?
Anonymous wrote:our private limits to 12 and everyone cries about it early on .. but in the end, the average (taking out ED kids) is 7.
it takes a LOT of time to do each one the right way. also, you dont need 5 safeties.
My DS graduated from public school and he took a ton of time to apply to 7. He customized all his essays to each university he was applying to. He got into all his safeties and targets... and no reaches. Which honestly, we can't complain about.
Everyone else we know applied to an astounding number of colleges. His best friend applied to more than 20 and got into Duke and Dartmouth for engineering.
Anonymous
05/08/2026 18:32
Subject: Is 12 schools too many to apply to or too few?
Mine did 12!
Anonymous
05/08/2026 18:08
Subject: Is 12 schools too many to apply to or too few?
It depends on your student profile. If you are a high achiever that dreams big and has a shot a top 10 school then 12 is too few. For anything else, 12 should be enough if planned correctly.
Anonymous
05/08/2026 18:05
Subject: Is 12 schools too many to apply to or too few?
our private limits to 12 and everyone cries about it early on .. but in the end, the average (taking out ED kids) is 7.
it takes a LOT of time to do each one the right way. also, you dont need 5 safeties.
it takes a LOT of time to do each one the right way. also, you dont need 5 safeties.