Is this too many colleges?

College Search & Lists
1

I’m from California, so I was planning on applying to Cal, UCLA, UCSD, UCD, UCSC, UCSB, UCR, UCI from all the UC’s.
I’m also planning to apply to CSLB, CSLA, SDSU, SFSU.
& for out of state colleges so far just Oregon State University.
I’m going to apply for engineering degree (biomedical / bioengineering if the school requires me to select a specific engineering major). I’m also hoping to go in as a pre-med student.

Is that too many colleges? My parents don’t have a set amount for the cost of applications, but I don’t want it to be an exorbitant amount. Based on what I am applying for, are there any colleges that wouldn’t be beneficial?

2

If you are submitting FAFSA, they will only send to 10. Also, not only do you have application fees, but fees to sending test scores unless you are doing test optional.

Can you see yourself at each of those schools? It doesn’t matter if you get in somewhere if you cannot see yourself there.

Finally, make sure there is a mix of safety, target, and reach – based on your stats.

13 isn’t crazy, but just may be more than you really need.

Good luck!

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3

Colleges that you can drop are:

  • Those which are unrealistic reaches for admission or affordability.
  • Those which do not offer the major(s) you want to study.
  • Those which are you would not choose over your safety (where you are assured admission and affordability) under any circumstances.
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4

On another discussion you said you are a Junior so I would wait until end of Junior to finalize any college list especially for the UC’s and CSU’s. UC’s and CSU’s only use 10-11th grades in their GPA calculation.

Here is the calculator: GPA Calculator for the University of California – RogerHub

Repost at the end of Junior year with all your stats to get a better idea if your list makes sense.

Application fees are $70/UC or CSU campus and they can add up. Select 2 safety schools and fill in the rest with a few Match and 1-2 Reach schools for a balanced list.

I let my sons select 10 Schools to apply and they were accepted to the majority of them but I made sure they had a balanced list.

Best of luck.

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5

CSULA, SDSU and SFSU do not have Biomedical or Bioengineering as majors. SDSU has Mechanical Engineering with an emphasis in Bioengineering, CSULA offers a minor in Biomedical Engineering for EE/ME or CSU majors. SFSU does not offer an emphasis or a minor in Biomedical/Bioengineering. All Cal states admit by major so you do have select an Engineering discipline.

UCSC does not have Biomedical/Bioengineering major. It was discontinued but they offer Biomolecular Engineering and Bioinformatics. The UC’s also admit by major for their Engineering College.

6

Just to add to an earlier point – the FAFSA can send to only 10 colleges at a time, but one can easily send it to more than 10 colleges total. One just has to submit it 2 or more times with different colleges listed each time.

7

Definitely agree with testing each college by “would I prefer this to my safety.”

8

definitely not too many. i applied to a lot. as long as you can dedicate time for good essays you are fine.

as far as fafsa taking only 10. you submit fafsa with 10 then after that application is approved and all your schools have your fafsa, you go back in and remove those original ten and add your next bunch.

fyi common app takes 20 schools. then you have coalition app too.

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9

it is kind of a pain to stay on top of that many portals as you work through the application process. Your list has a huge range of selectivity. I’d winnow it down to 6 or so, 2 safeties, 2 matches and 2 reaches. Hard to say which is which without your stats.