<p>I have 5 on my list, but some are reaches, so I don't know if I should add more or not...</p>
<p>Probably need more, more people will try to go to college since the economy is bad. Especially if they are top schools. You need to give the schools you are applying to.</p>
<p>I think this all depends on your comfort level with risk. I am an insecure bastard who applied to 9, including no fewer than 2 "safety" schools.</p>
<p>The thing is, if I don't get into a single one of those schools, I don't really want to go to graduate school... and I probably shouldn't anyway.</p>
<p>Don't apply anywhere you wouldn't go, it's a waste of money.</p>
<p>I will be applying to 6 American and 3 Canadian schools :D</p>
<p>I am applying to 7 programs.</p>
<p>Lucky number 13 for me.</p>
<p>7 total: five American and two Canadian. Two of the American schools I really don't want to go to...but I would if they gave me money >.> Of course, I'm going for a professional degree, so I don't care as much about the experience and particular research as you do. Just apply to as many as you're comfortable with...and make sure you're comfortable with the alternative plan in case you don't get in.</p>
<p>I applied to 2 schools - both I knew I would be admitted to. You could call me unambitious, but I also considered how hard it would be to stand out at a school like MIT when trying to get an advisor. I go to a perfectly fine top EE program now. Obviously I chose this moniker before I matriculated.</p>
<p>I applied to 6 last year, one I thought was a reach, but since it was actually my best fit, it turned out to be the easiest to get into (and the school that I ended up going to). I had one safety that granted me admission without an interview, got interviews at the rest and was accepted to all but one (I hated it at the interview and I think that was apparent). </p>
<p>If I had it to do again I probably would have applied to more "reaches" and less "safeties" to be totally honest. Then again, hindsight is 20/20 and what not.</p>
<p>I'm going to apply to 10 this year.</p>
<p>6 schools + 1 safety + 1 "ultra" safety (alma mater w/ prof connections ;))</p>