Hello! I'm a high school junior and I'm working on creating my college list. How do I make a balanced list with reach, target, and safety schools? Any advice on how to determine which schools fit into each category? Thanks in advance!
Hello! It's great that you're starting to work on your college list as a junior. Creating a balanced list is important in order to have options after you receive your admissions decisions. Here's a general guideline to help you determine reach, target, and safety schools:
1. Reach schools: These are schools where your academic profile (GPA, test scores, class rank, etc.) falls below the middle 50% of admitted students. They're called reach schools because, while it's possible for you to be admitted, it would be a bit of a stretch due to the competitive nature of the applicant pool.
2. Target schools: Your academic profile should fall within the middle 50% of admitted students for these schools. This means that you have a good chance of being admitted, but it's not guaranteed. These schools should align well with your interests and goals.
3. Safety schools: These are schools where your academic profile is above the middle 50% of admitted students, which means you have a high likelihood of being admitted. Make sure you would be happy attending any of your safety schools in case they become your best option.
I hope this helps! Good luck with your college search.
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