Hey everyone, I'm a junior and I'm starting to make my college list. I'm not sure how many colleges I should apply to, or how to choose which ones to apply to. Can anyone give me some advice on how to make a balanced college list? Thanks!
Hey there! It's great that you're starting to think about your college list early on. A balanced college list is important to ensure you have a good mix of schools to choose from when the decisions come in. Here are some tips to help you create your list:
1. Consider your priorities: Think about what's most important to you in a college – location, size, culture, academic programs, cost, and other factors that matter to you. Make a list of your priorities to help you narrow down your choices.
2. Research: Start researching colleges and universities that align with your priorities. You can do this using the filters and school search tool on CollegeVine.
3. Categorize: Once you have a list of potential colleges, categorize them into three groups – safety, match, and reach schools. Safety schools are those where your academic credentials are well above the average admitted student, match schools are those where your credentials align with the average admitted student, and reach schools are those where your credentials may be below the average admitted student but you still have a chance. The CollegeVine chancing engine categorizes these for you based on your chancing profile.
4. Aim for a balanced list: A suggested breakdown might be 2-3 safety schools, 4-5 match schools, and 2-3 reach schools. However, this can vary depending on your specific needs and preferences.
Remember, it's important to apply to schools you genuinely want to attend and where you believe you'll be happy and successful. Best of luck with your college search!
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