<p>How should you create your list of colleges? </p>
<p>What is your selectivity breakdown in terms of reach-match-safety? 2-3-2, 3-2-2, etc?</p>
<p>Should you limit your applications to 7 schools? How many schools are too many?</p>
<p>What defines a "safety" school? How "safe" is safe enough?</p>
<p>I did something like: 5 reaches (3 high reach, 2 low reach), 2 matches, and 1 safety.</p>
<p>I would recommend at least 2 safeties (financial as well as academic) because if worst comes to worst, having choices makes it feel less like you’re setting.</p>
<p>I’d define a safety as somewhere with a 50+% acceptance rate where your stats are at or above the 75th percentile and you know you’d be able to afford either with in state tuition or GUARANTEED merit scholarships.</p>