The process for applying for college admissions varies from one college to another. Therefore, it is the applicant’s responsibility to be familiar with this process. Applying means sending an application form, high school records, and entrance exam scores to the college. Deadline dates are important!
One of the questions asked most frequently is, “What should my final list of colleges include?” Inherent in this question are two considerations: first, how many schools should I apply to, and second, what range of schools should be included with regard to admissions competition?
As a general rule, we advise that you apply to approximately three to five schools, which vary in terms of selectivity, but which have the most important features desired by you. We discourage you from adopting the “shotgun approach” of applying to a multitude of schools. We also discourage you,
regardless of academic ability, from “putting all of your eggs in one basket” by applying to only one institution or one level of college.
Generally, we recommend that your final list includes schools from each of the following categories:
Category I: Your first choice schools; often referred to as
“reach” schools. It is fine in this group to include a couple
of “long shots.”
Category II: Schools that possess the significant features you
desire and at which the probability of admission is even or
slightly better than even. These schools are categorized as
“on target” or “realistic” schools.
Category III: Schools that have most of the features you
desire and in which the probability of admission is “highly
likely” to “certain”. We refer to schools in this category as
your “safety” schools.
One of the questions asked most frequently is, “What should my final list of colleges include?” Inherent in this question are two considerations: first, how many schools should I apply to, and second, what range of schools should be included with regard to admissions competition?
As a general rule, we advise that you apply to approximately three to five schools, which vary in terms of selectivity, but which have the most important features desired by you. We discourage you from adopting the “shotgun approach” of applying to a multitude of schools. We also discourage you,
regardless of academic ability, from “putting all of your eggs in one basket” by applying to only one institution or one level of college.
Generally, we recommend that your final list includes schools from each of the following categories:
Category I: Your first choice schools; often referred to as
“reach” schools. It is fine in this group to include a couple
of “long shots.”
Category II: Schools that possess the significant features you
desire and at which the probability of admission is even or
slightly better than even. These schools are categorized as
“on target” or “realistic” schools.
Category III: Schools that have most of the features you
desire and in which the probability of admission is “highly
likely” to “certain”. We refer to schools in this category as
your “safety” schools.