<p>When applying to college, how many applications would be considered too much? I’m a rising a senior and want to begin starting my list of colleges. Thanks</p>
<p>There is no set number. Bear in mind that the apps are not that easy to do, and many have supplements with additional essay or short answer questions. You also may have to visit and interview at some of your schools, which is time consuming. On top of all of that, you may have SATs still to take and your senior year grades are very important. It takes a lot of organization to juggle a lot of college apps, and the more you have, the more mistakes and confusion can occur. So it really depends on how many apps you can handle.</p>
<p>If you need financial aid, you should start with that process now by finding out how much your parents are willing/able to pay, and then filling out a sample FAFSA and PROFILEs to see what the government and colleges think your family should pay. THat can make a difference in your list. If you apply early action/rolling decision early in the year, you’ll have some schools in your pocket by Christmas, and can then go to town on reaches. The most important choices that you can make are the schools that are the most likely to accept you. Once you are in at least one of those, you are golden to reach for the stars and some of the stress and desperation is alleviated.</p>