How to Easily Develop a Strategic College List Part 1 & 2

Everything you need to know to properly develop a strategic list of schools to maximize your chances of being happy with the end result 

Approaching the college application process can understandably feel overwhelming. With so many schools to discover, determining where to begin can feel like a greater challenge than actually getting into the school of your dreams. When you consider that you also need to place equal importance on safety schools as you do reach schools, the entire process can feel more like a chore. However, learning about new schools and where you want to spend your undergraduate years should be an exciting, rewarding experience. Like many students, it may be your first chance to exercise independence over an important decision-making process. There’s no need to stress though. By adhering to a few simple guidelines, you can create a research process that’s enjoyable and easy to maintain. 

What does a college list consist of? 

Thankfully, a college list is just what it sounds like – a list of colleges and universities that you would like to apply to in Grade 12. However, developing a strategic list requires a lot more effort than meets the eye. Students need to critically reflect on their past performance in high school and what their realistic expectations of admission are. Although strong college lists change over time, especially as students learn more about schools of interest through campus visits and virtual information sessions, they all share the same three basic categories: likely schools, target schools, and reach schools. 

• Likely schools (also called safety schools): These are colleges and universities where you’ll have a strong chance of admission. To determine which schools fall into each category, you need to realistically compare your grades and performance to the provided statistics on the school’s admissions webpage. However, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that any school with a high acceptance rate is a good school to put into your likely category. Make sure to research schools that check your boxes for location, size, focus, and programs, regardless of which category it fits into. 

• Target schools: These schools and universities should fit your GPA and standardized test scores, if you plan to submit them. You ideally would have a good chance of getting into these schools; however, just because your stats mirror the stated averages there is no guarantee of acceptance. Schools in your target category should fill the spectrum and include some that are closer to likely as well as a handful that are closer to the reach category. Casting a wide net in the initial stages increases your chances of finding a number of schools that you like. 
• Reach schools: As the name implies, these schools are ones that you would like to attend but that you have the lowest chance of getting into. Even in this category, you still have to be realistic in considering your options. There’s no use in applying to all the hardest schools in the country if you’re noticeably far off the mark. This is nothing to stress about either. Each of the institutions you will consider will offer something unique and beneficial to different types of students. Finding a school is more about fit than anything else! 

What to consider before creating your college list 

Self reflect 

• First and foremost, you need to consider what you are interested in and what you want to get out of your college experience.
• It’s okay to not have a complete picture of what you want in high school, but the only way to start developing it is by asking yourself what you are interested in. 
• Question what you are passionate about and investigate what you do in your free time. 
• Think about how you learn best and what social environments you enjoy. 
• It may help to keep a journal so you can organize your thoughts. 
• Once you gain a deeper understanding of what you want, you can start to investigate specific schools and programs with more intention. 

What you think you want to study 

• It’s hard to know what you want to study before you get into college, but taking stock of the classes in high school that you enjoyed the most can give you great insight into what programs and majors you should be paying attention to when researching which schools to put on your college list. 
• Keep a look out for colleges with specialized programs that overlap with your areas of interest. Whether it’s something niche, like farming or hotel management, or a common subject such as management or marketing, there are specialty programs for nearly every type of student. 

Cost and Financial Aid 

• Millions of students each year depend on financial aid to be able to attend their colleges and universities. If this is going to be the case for you, make sure to consider what type of aid schools of interest have given out in the past, and what merit or athletic scholarships you may be eligible for. 

Location and size 

• Although these factors usually aren’t as important as the quality of the academics and how they align with your interests, location, and size are key factors to consider when developing your college list. 
• It’s unlikely that you will be able to fill your entire list with schools from one region of the country, so it’s best to keep an open mind when considering where you may be willing to go. 
• Consider whether you want to attend a school in an urban or rural setting, and whether you want to have access to the outdoors or city life. 
• Make sure to consider the size; beyond the social differences between large and small schools, consider how the different learning environments will support you. 

Things to avoid when creating your college list 

• Only researching familiar schools isn’t a recipe for success when creating a strategic college list. Starting early, and casting a wide net is the best way to ensure that you don’t overlook any schools or programs that may be of interest to you.
• Not paying attention to your past performance is a quick way to waste time.
• Procrastinating starting your research often leads to feeling rushed and may even result in overlooking a great program that fits your wants and needs. As with all things in the college application process, being proactive is a good idea. 
• Don’t skip out on virtual tours and information sessions because you aren’t sure you like a school enough to try them out. Events like these are a great way to learn about potential schools. 

Final Thoughts 

At the end of the day, creating a strategic college list is about striking a balance between research, self-reflection, and aspiration. If you consider each of these aspects when developing your list, you will end up with a solid list of schools that fit your needs and ensures you will get into schools that make you happy, regardless of what category they fall into.