How to Choose Colleges to Apply To

Building a list of schools to apply to may seem like a daunting task. How do you know what universities are a good fit? Is it possible to predict what your child will want over the next four years? What if they don’t even know what they’re going to study yet?

Choosing schools is a lot less nerve-wracking than the task may seem. On average, students apply to 8-12 schools. This pool is usually comprised of a mix of 2-3 safety schools, 3-4 target schools, and 2-3 reach schools. With that being said, there is no official or magical number. Don’t apply to just one school, but don’t frantically submit twenty applications either. Do what feels right. 

Here are some steps designed to help your child evaluate priorities, make decisions, and ultimately draw up a list of schools to apply to: 

 

Develop preferences

Each student needs to decide what’s important and what their needs will be over the course of the next four years. Their final list could be driven by academics, campus culture, location, financial aid, or another factor. The important thing to remember is that each student should feel comfortable and confident in their list. 

Ultimately, it’s up to your child to decide which schools to apply to and why. They can seek the advice of you, another parent, a college counselor or another trusted advisor, but remember the process is largely personal. 

To brainstorm ideas, fill out our Finding Your College worksheet. This questionnaire should help them generate preferences that will guide their search for colleges. 

 

Consider abilities

While deciding on the type of school your child would like to attend, keep their academic standing and other abilities in mind. Their final list should include a mixture of safety, target, and reach schools.

Safety schools are meant to be guarantees. They are schools where a student’s application will be very strong and their acceptance is practically assured. Target schools are more in line with the abilities of the applicant. They’re where a student’s application is competitive and meets the standards of the school. Reaches are beyond those schools. While applications aren’t always successful, a student should try nonetheless. 

This range should ensure that your child has both assurances and goals. There is a chance that a student may not get into a safety yet also be admitted into their reach schools. Remember their application is not only compared to the standards of the school but also to the applicant pool that year. 

 

Factor in interests

Beyond a possible future career choice, consider your child’s interests. Both academically as well as extracurricularly. Encourage them to take some time to think about all the little activities in their life. Do they like exploring local hiking trails, playing a game of pick-up basketball or knitting in a cozy nook? How might those pursuits be replicated at college?

As much as college is an academic experience, there is a lot of time in college spent outside the classroom and it’s important to have more than just schoolwork to do during the year. Think about how they want to decompress or entertain themselves. After class or on weekends. What do they want to do with their friends during downtime?

 

Do research 

Attend college fairs. Talk to admissions representatives, current students, and alumni. Sign-up for mailing lists and newsletters. These sources will not only inform applicants about individual schools, but also give them an idea of the kinds of selling points that colleges present themselves with. They should also give students important data points, such as student body size or average applicant GPA, to compare when finalizing their list. 

Similarly, read the published application guides, like FISK, as well as each college’s websites. This is a good way to get a general idea of a particular university and its reputation. Note what each school is known for or what is popular about them. 

Keep track of information as it’s gathered. It may be helpful to have a physical folder for important documents or even pamphlets. There can be a lot of mailers and business cards during this process. Have a place where all pertinent personal information, like transcripts and testing scores, is also kept. Check if your child’s school uses Naviance or another college planning site during the admissions process. It may provide helpful insight into what your child’s chances are and how applicants from their school have done in the past. 

 

Talk to non-professionals too

Encourage your child to start conversations with friends, classmates, and siblings. They can provide an accurate picture of how applying is in the present, from your school district, or to a particular school. Ask admissions officers to connect you with current students and local alums to get a better idea of the college’s current climate.

It may be helpful for you to also talk to parents of children with similar interests to get a better idea of what to do yourself. Our network of parent advisors are available to give you first hand knowledge on schools and programs that are good possible fit for your children based on their academic and extracurricular interests.

Don’t give too much sway to any one opinion. There will be a lot of ideas circulated about what to expect, how to act, how to apply, and who to be at each stage of the process. While there are right answers and facts in some cases, the application process is constantly evolving and your child’s own experience is ultimately the most telling thing. 

 

Visit campus

Sometimes the best way to judge whether a school should make the final list is to visit. There is a lot to be learned from the experience of physically being on campus. Your child may interact with current students and professors. They might also tour the school, interview with admissions, or overnight on campus. Visits should give them a better idea of what studying at a particular university will be like. 

“My kids couldn’t figure out from websites and brochures if they were interested in a school. We went to college presentations locally but visiting the schools gave them the best sense of what they liked and didn’t like. We found it took them visiting a number of schools before they could parse out what they were attracted to and “see” themselves there.”  --Marie, Versed Advisor

Since it can be expensive and time consuming to travel to campus, it may be wise to tie in visits with vacations or other travel. If it isn’t possible, there are also virtual, interactive campus tours provided by YouVisit and CampusTours.

“Current students and/or alumni can offer helpful and knowledgeable insight as an alternative to a college visit. Formal college tours are always going to give you the rosy side of the school story. If you want to get the inside scoop on what people really think about the school, ask someone who has direct experience.”  --Virginia, Versed Advisor 

 

Be open

While your child should keep preferences in mind, remind them to be flexible and stay open to new ideas. Even if an applicant has a particular career path in mind, there is more to college than just the correct major. Campus should meet all potential needs. 

Don’t lock into any one version of how the next four years will play out. Allow room to explore different interests or activities, even as a hobby. Consider clubs, recreational and entertainment opportunities on or around campus. 

What will daily life on campus be? Think about the makeup of campus. What is the current student body reflective of? How does that compare to who your child is, who they want to be, and who they may become? Don’t just allow for growth, encourage it.

 

If your child is still struggling to decide what qualities they value in a college, it may be helpful to fill out our Finding Your College questionnaire. The worksheet was designed to get students thinking about how they may benefit from their college experience, not just identify a path of study. 

 

As your child discovers different colleges, keep a list of those they would like to apply to. It can include maybes and tentative interests at first. Most applicants narrow down their original choices to a specific few. Keep in mind the role of safeties, targets, and reaches. Aim for where you will be happy. Students should only apply to school that they could actually see themselves attending. And remember everyone gets in. It may seem at times that applicant pools are too large or too competitive, but it is true that everyone gets in. 

 

It may also be beneficial to talk to one of our Advisors about their experience choosing which colleges to apply to. You can schedule a free introductory consultation here. 

 

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For additional information and insights, check out our blog: 

Democratizing the college admissions process

When is a good time to start planning for college? Part 1

When is a good time to start planning for college? Part 2