Build your college list

If you’re new to the college application process, you may wonder how many college applications you should submit. 

Start by considering at least six colleges or universities that match the factors most important to you. Within your list, you’ll want a mix of safety, match, and reach schools. We recommend the following: 

• Three safety schools 
• Two match schools 
• One reach school 

What’s a safety, match, or reach school? Let’s explore these terms together. 

Safety schools 

Safety schools are schools you know you'll get into. You meet their admission requirements. They can also be schools you have a very good chance of getting into based on your SAT scores and GPA or class rank. Most certificate programs, technical colleges, and community colleges have open admissions. This means you’ll need a high school diploma or GED to enroll, but no entrance exam scores (like SAT or ACT). 

Match schools 

Match schools are schools whose typical admitted student profile matches your academic credentials. It’s okay if admission to these schools isn’t a complete guarantee, or if your match schools have an open admissions policy. For now, what’s important is that the school’s academic profile aligns with yours. 

Reach schools 

Reach schools are schools where you don’t quite meet their admission standards. You may be taking a chance by applying, but with a strong essay and letters of recommendation, you may be accepted. Community service, extracurricular activities, and background may help your application. Even if the school is hard to get into, it’s worth a try! 

When thinking about college, it's important to stay focused on what's right for you—from degree programs, to financial aid, to campus locations and more. When you have a clearer picture of what you're looking for in a college, you can begin researching individual schools to see if they're a good fit. You can even to your high school alumni that attend these schools to hear about their experience. 

The following are questions you can consider as you do research to help you decide which college should get added to your list. 

• Does the school's reputation meet my requirements? 
• Do I fit the personality of the student body? 
• Can this school meet my educational goals? 
• Does this college have advisors who will help me schedule classes correctly so that I can meet my goals as quickly as I want? 
• Are classes taught by professors? 
  (This is important. Sometimes, especially at larger universities, classes may be taught by graduate students.) 
• Will this school give credit for Advanced Placement tests and/or dual credit courses taken in high school? 
• Will this school accept my credits if I start out at a two-year community or technical college? 
• Does this school require freshmen to live on campus? Do I have a choice of where I live? (Common choices are at home, in a nearby apartment, in dormitories on campus, or in campus apartments? Where you live affects how much college will cost.) 
• Is financial aid available? 
• Is the financial aid office on campus? What are the hours? 
• If I qualify for financial aid, will the school let me use it to pay my tuition and fees, or will I have to pay up front (possibly with an emergency loan) and then get reimbursed when my aid arrives? 
• Are there scholarships available at this school? If yes, are they based on athletic, merit or something else? Which campus office handles scholarships? 

The next step is building out your list of schools you're interested in based on reach, match, and safety. Then you can visit the campuses, talk to students, and make your own decision about which school feels right.