The College List

Aug 5

One of the hinge pin hurdles of the college admissions process is for the student to create a smart college list. The collection of school possibilities needs to be “smart” for several key reasons.

Begin the process by casting a wide net. A student needs to throw everything into the metaphoric grocery cart: academic preferences, size, location, geographic likes and dislikes. From there, students need to do their own research and become familiar with the nuances and advantages of particular institutions.
The list should not be “reach” heavy by allowing highly competitive colleges and universities to dominate the list. When selecting possibilities, think in terms of a balanced list that will include some “reach” (long shots), some “possible” (within the medium range), and some “safety” (highly likely acceptance) schools to cover all their bases. Students need to weigh their options. The “safety” schools ought to be schools that the student is excited about as well.
Mistakenly, some students discount safety schools because of a misperception that they are not as prestigious as others on their list. Sometimes the term “safety” takes on a negative connotation and that’s not necessarily the case at all. Colleges in the “safety” category can offer a great student experience too.
Be open-minded. Just because you haven’t heard of a college or you haven’t seen the name of a college advertised on a friend’s baseball cap or recognized it from a bumper sticker does not mean that you should dismiss the school without doing your research. There tends to be regional awareness of specific institutions, and in reality there are thousands of fantastic schools in the U.S. (not including international options as well).
Considering a college in a different region of the country might mean there could be a financial incentive for the university to entice you to attend that school.
What is the right number of colleges for a college list? That answer depends on each individual student; however, lengthy lists are exhausting and expensive. To start off, think in terms of no more than 10 colleges. If students apply to too many colleges, the quality of their application will suffer. Additionally, if applicants submit too few and/or do not have a range of reach, possible, and safety schools, they potentially will not be happy with their end results.
Think outside the box when considering the financial aspect of choosing colleges. State schools are not always the most affordable option. Private schools have more leeway in distributing merit aid and can sometimes be a more financially friendly option. Consider community colleges for the first two years and then transfer into a four-year university for a bachelor’s degree to save money. However, pay close attention to articulation agreements so that students know in advance which credits will transfer.
Finalizing the college list is a critical step in the college admissions process as it also unlocks the keys to finding out specific supplemental essays a student needs to compose and submit. The sooner a student has a college list in hand, the sooner they can start writing their supplemental essays.

Developing a college list takes time. It’s a process in which we enjoy guiding our students and we can greatly add to their overall experience. Assisting clients with research tips and helping students refine their list is just one of our company’s strengths.