<p>I have a long list of colleges that I want to submit an application to. I could see myself at all of the schools I have visited and at all the colleges I've only researched that are on my list. Submitting an app to every single school would be a useless way to spend time and money. I don't want to veto applying somewhere and end miss an opportunity to attend a college that might be the best fit for me. The whole idea of narrowing down my options is difficult for me, but I need to do it. How do I start? </p>
<p>Start with affordability. Then do some pairwise comparisons - see which ones you’d rather get into over others. Make sure you have a safety you can afford, are assured of getting into, and would be happy to attend.</p>
<p>Make an argument for why each school is right for you.</p>
<p>When you really don’t have anything to say in support of a school other than “it’s prestigious,” toss it.</p>
<p>Run the net price calculators before you do any of this. It may save you some work.</p>
<p>Also, consider the best value for where you are going. I’m not saying that some colleges aren’t worth the money, but some do provide more education for far less money. Running the net price calculators as stated above will definitely help narrow down which colleges will provide the best financial aid for you. Some people consider finding 3 reach schools, 3 match schools, and 2 safety schools for your search. </p>