I have to go with the money angle too. It's an expensive process, one that I've been afraid to add up. I applied to 13 schools, submitted 11 secondaries, and have gone on 6 interviews, 5 of which were out of state. When I started this process, I had a nice little nest egg of savings. Now I'm hoping to get through August without accumulating credit card debt. I'd suggest to look at your finances and think realistically about what you can afford.
There's another angle to consider. When I looked through the MSAR, I was able to really whittle down the number of options. I have a strong geographic preference to go to New England for med school, so that right there cut out a ton of possibilities. Also, I looked carefully at the curriculum; one that was progressive and involved early patient contact was a priority. Then, I looked at the mission statement. I wanted a school that was dedicated to diversity and technology. With all that together, I actually stretched a little to find 13.
My advice is that if you've got the $$ to burn, apply everywhere that meets your needs. If you have to scrimp, find some exclusive criteria and your list makes itself.
Good luck!
