Figuring out how to build college list got a lot easier for me once I stopped collecting random schools and made 3 buckets: likely, target, and reach. That sounds obvious, but the useful part was adding 2 more filters first: actual net price and whether I could see myself living there.
My tip: make a simple spreadsheet with GPA/test range, net price calculator result, major strength, location, and one honest note like too rural or love the campus vibe. If a school only looks good in rankings, it probably should not stay on your list.
I also tried to keep my list balanced instead of huge: enough likelies I would genuinely attend, a solid middle group, and only a few reaches I really cared about.