How to Build A Balanced College List
A thoughtful, balanced college list is essential to a successful college application process. Building your college list should be a careful endeavor, where your goal is to find the schools where you truly believe you’ll best grow, succeed, and leave prepared for the next chapter of your life. Rankings can be helpful as a starting point, but they don’t capture what matters most: fit.
There are a multitude of factors to consider when it comes to the best-fit college for you. Do you prefer a large research university or a smaller liberal arts college? Do you want to be in an urban, suburban, or rural setting? Does the school offer strong programs in your areas of interest? What kind of campus culture, values, and support systems are you looking for?
Touring campuses (in-person or virtually), attending information sessions, and hearing from current students can give you insight into fit beyond the brochures.
Aim for a list of 10-12 schools total: a few reaches, a few targets, and a few safeties. As you begin researching universities and finalizing your list, take a close look at your academic profile, or your GPA and standardized test scores (if applicable). Compare your profile to the most recent admitted student data for schools you’re considering. If your school uses SCOIR or Naviance, those are also helpful tools to reference your high school’s past history of students’ college outcomes. This will help you categorize schools into three key categories: reach, target, and safety.
1. Reach Schools
These are schools where your academic credentials fall below or on the lower end of the average range of admitted students. For highly selective institutions (those with <20% acceptance rates), even students with near-perfect records fall into this category due to the sheer volume of qualified applicants.
You should absolutely apply to reach schools if you believe they’re a good fit, but manage your expectations.
Recommendation: 2–3 reach schools on your list.
2. Target Schools
Your academic credentials are solidly within the school’s average admitted range. These schools are competitive but realistic.
Target schools are where you have a strong chance of acceptance if other parts of your application are also compelling. These are schools that may be likely to admit you if you’ve done your research and applied thoughtfully.
Recommendation: 3–4 target schools.
3. Safety Schools
Your GPA and test scores are above the school's average range, and acceptance rates are relatively high. These are the schools where you're confident you'll be admitted. You should still be thoughtful and deliberate about these choices as they still need to be schools you'd be happy to attend.
Recommendation: 2 safety schools (more if financial aid is a concern).
A well-balanced college list is your insurance policy against uncertainty in the admissions process. By applying to a mix of reach, target, and safety schools, you increase your chances of having great choices come spring.
Our LogicPrep College Advisors work closely with students to create a strategic, balanced list tailored to their interests and goals. Whether you’re kicking off your search in 10th grade or a rising senior preparing to apply this Fall, your College Advisor will be supporting your search every step of the way.