 Most seasons have featured 20 "top" finalists for the competition portion of the show, but season 1 was represented by a Top 16, season 7 saw a Top 11, and seasons 13 through 15 have featured a Top 10.Following the finalist selection process, the show transitions into its regular competition phase, which lasts the rest of the season.The competition stage is typically divided into eight weeks, generally with two contestants eliminated per week.