By Jay Cha, Director of College Consulting
I often say that building a college list is a little like crafting the perfect playlist—you want a mix of crowd-pleasers, a few bold choices, and some reliable favorites you can count on every time. But instead of vibes and tempos, we’re working with academic fit, admissions odds, and—let’s be real—emotional gut-checks. The key is to divide your list into four categories.
Far Reach
Reach
Target
Safety
This isn’t just a formality; it’s the foundation of a well-strategized application process and a way to help students aim high without crashing into reality headfirst.
Far Reach schools are dream schools where your profile (GPA, test scores, etc.) is below the school’s middle 50%. Most students should really only have 1-2 of these on their list. These are the moonshots—not because we don’t believe in you, but because those schools reject thousands of top students like you every year just to keep their rankings pretty. For most students, these are the US News top 20 colleges and their ilk. Think Duke or UPenn for a student with a 3.8 unweighted GPA and 1430 on the SAT. If you’re in this camp, and you absolutely love one of these incredibly competitive colleges, you should definitely still apply! Demonstrate your interest in these schools and make it clear to them that you would love nothing else but to matriculate there the following year. It will still be a long shot, but many students get into these Far Reach schools every year. Put your hat in the ring and see what happens!
Reach schools are still tough to get into, but your numbers might be closer to their typical admitted student range. They’re not as improbable—for the kind of student mentioned above, these may be schools like Northeastern or Villanova—but you should still brace for a polite “no thanks.” The bulk of your college list—and we may be in the minority on this—should fall in this category. After all, your goal is not to get into every single school, but just one great school! We think 4-6 Reach schools are a good target here.
Target schools are your sweet spot. Your GPA and scores fall comfortably within the school’s typical admitted range, and you meet other benchmarks—think rigor of coursework, extracurriculars, and so on. These schools target students like you, so you should target them back! Aim for 3-4 of these, because this is where you’re most likely to receive good news come spring.
And then there are Safety schools, where your stats are well above the school’s average, and their admit rate is more generous than those in the aforementioned three categories. Keep in mind, however, that these should still be colleges you’d actually be excited to attend. Include 1-2 of these, just in case the admissions gods aren’t exactly smiling on you this year.
Finally, don’t build your list based purely on rankings or because everyone in your friend group is applying to the same five schools. Prestige might feel exciting in the moment, but it won’t carry you through four years of late-night studying, group projects, or trying to find “your people” on campus. Instead, focus first on academic fit: Does the school offer the majors or programs you’re interested in? Are there opportunities for research, internships, or hands-on learning? What’s the classroom vibe—small and discussion-based, or big and lecture-driven? This is your education, after all, and you want a place where you’ll be intellectually engaged.
Then there’s social and financial fit, both of which matter more than students often realize at first. Social fit means thinking about the kind of environment where you’ll feel comfortable and inspired. Are you drawn to a spirited campus with a big NCAA presence and Greek life? Or do you see yourself at a smaller, quieter school where everyone knows your name? Consider a school’s demographics and what students say about the social scene and overall “vibe” on campus. Finally, do not overlook the cost of matriculating at each of the schools on your list. A school that may seem to you to be “worth it” on paper might not be worth decades of debt. Use net price calculators, look at merit aid policies, and talk honestly with your family about what’s doable. The goal isn’t to collect prestige points—it’s to find the places where you’ll grow, be challenged, and maybe even do your own laundry. Build your list with intention, self-awareness, and a bit of humor, and you’ll be setting yourself up for success—not just in admissions, but in the four years that follow.
We’re happy to support students in developing their ideal list, ensuring students and families consider options and fit.
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