When students start thinking about their college search, one of the first questions that they ask is: How many colleges should I apply to?
Good (and important) question. To answer it, let’s think about what is behind this question and how to plan so that your college search results in acceptances at schools which are a great fit for your interests and background.
So what are the underlying concerns that bother many students as they decide where to apply?
Am I being unrealistic about my chances of admission?
How do I know if a college is a “sure thing” for me?
I don't know what an appropriate college list looks like!
Most teenagers have not had a lot of experience with major consumer purchases. And that’s how you should look at the process of deciding which colleges to apply to and where you will eventually enroll. When someone is in need of an expensive new whatever (think vehicle, refrigerator, computer, sports equipment), they tend to obsess over the details—or the “specs” as we experienced shoppers call them.
Deciding where to apply to college is no different. The process should start with clarifying what you NEED and what you WANT (not always exactly the same!), then you figure out ... details of your NEEDS and WANTS; then you figure out what you can AFFORD TO SPEND. Then you shop.
As with any long-term investment, you want to make sure you get what meets your needs and budget. A college search diverges from a consumer purchase in that after you decide where to apply, the colleges evaluate and select you—or turn you down! So in building your college list, you have to be smart and strategic. It is within your power to ensure positive outcomes.
So let’s go back to those underlying concerns and see how they can help shape a smart, balanced, and “right size” college list.
AM I BEING UNREALISTIC ABOUT MY CHANCES OF ADMISSION?
Being unrealistic is sometimes confused with being optimistic. Optimism is such an important quality to have throughout your application process; it indicates you are applying to schools you have researched and really believe will give you a great experience. If you have some colleges on your list that admit only a small percentage of students who apply, that’s a good thing. You are determined to give it your best shot. In your heart you know if you don’t try, you’ll wish you did.
Being unrealistic goes a step further. It means that you believe if you want something badly enough and work hard to get it, it will magically happen. The system wouldn’t dare let you down, or you’ll be the exception to the rule! These are the students who apply to a disproportionate number of colleges that are highly-selective—sometimes without any backup plans.
On one hand, it’s good to dream big and reach for the stars. On the other hand, a college search needs to be rooted in possibility so that you are certain to have options from which to choose once all of the decisions are in. We all experience magical thinking at various times in our lives, but unfortunately it often leads to disappointment. The good news is that when it comes to college admission, many students who are both realistic and aim high anticipate some rejection—and while disappointed, bounce back quickly to examine their other great options. Having acceptances from other colleges on your list (maybe even a majority!) means that while optimistic, you were also realistic when building your college list.
How do you know if a college is an unrealistic choice?
Read on.
Characteristics of REALISTIC college choices
Don’t think of these as “safety” options for you but rather as a smart fit. They are in the realm of possibility for you—some more than others depending on selectivity.
Your academic qualifications match or exceed the medians published by the colleges. Better yet, your qualifications place you in the top 25% of their profile. Look for this information in two places: the college’s admission website and the Common Data Set published on most colleges’ websites (Google “[name of college] Common Data Set” and look at Section C: First Time/First Year Freshman Admission).
Your academic record shows that you are well-prepared for the program of study you have indicated on your application (if asked). For example, some selective colleges will expect applicants to STEM and business programs to have completed calculus in high school; or they may look for three or four years of a foreign language regardless of choice of major).
Your school counselor/college advisor says that you compare favorably with students from your high school who have been admitted to these colleges in recent years. It is very important to get this perspective—don’t be afraid to ask this question directly. If your school uses Naviance or SCOIR to manage the application process, you may be able to look at a scattergram for each college, offering information about students who have applied in the past (GPA, test scores if submitted, and admission decisions).
Characteristics of UNREALISTIC college choices
Don’t load up your college list with these colleges. Applying to LOTS of them doesn’t increase your chances! Have a few if you like but the bulk of colleges on your list should be Realistic—and at least one or two “sure things”, especially if cost is an issue (see below!). What are some warning signs of an unrealistic choice?
Your academic qualifications are well below the median information you find on the college’s website and Common Data Set. Colleges often report their freshman class data (GPA and scores) as “the range of the middle 50%”. If you are in the bottom 25% and do not have a significant hook (see Institutional Needs and Priorities below), the college is an Unrealistic choice.
Your school counselor/college advisor does not compare your qualifications favorably with students from your high school who have been admitted to these colleges in recent years.
Very selective colleges are Unrealistic choices for you if they turn away the majority of well qualified students (< 20% admit rate) and you do not have an extraordinary personal story or achievement, you are not from an underrepresented background, or you do not have a hook (see Institutional Needs and Priorities below).
HOW DO I KNOW IF A COLLEGE IS A SURE THING FOR ME?
Let’s think for a moment about how colleges make admission decisions. Almost all colleges fall into one of two categories: Guaranteed Admission or Holistic Evaluation.
1. Guaranteed Admission (or Admission by the Numbers)
This means that the college offers admission to applicants whose academic credentials meet a certain published standard. Some public universities (and a small number of private colleges) offer this “guaranteed” or “automatic” admission to in-state applicants completing a prescribed college-prep curriculum and earning at least a particular class rank and/or GPA. Standardized test scores may or may not be part of the qualification.
Examples of this in-state guarantee are the University of Texas-Austin, Texas A&M University, Arizona State University, Washington State University, and the Universities of Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas. The state university systems of California and Florida have their own take on guaranteed admission.
Always check a university’s website for the specifics—and pay attention to how a university will recalculate your GPA based on their unique scale. What your high school calculates may differ considerably from how a university does the math.
Community colleges (public, two-year colleges) are almost always “open admission”, meaning that with a high school diploma or equivalency, you can be admitted. Many community colleges have agreements with 4-year universities called articulation agreements that guarantee admission into their bachelors degree programs. This is a great way to open a door to a university you might not have been admitted to right out of college!
And guess what: this is one of the most affordable ways to attend college!
A third type of “Sure Thing” admission would be those colleges that guarantee merit scholarships (aka tuition discounts) for applicants with certain qualifications; the implication is that if you meet the GPA and testing (if required) threshold, you will be admitted and receive a scholarship (and there may be a graduated scale). This information is available on a college’s Financial Aid and Scholarships webpage.
And last, there is a “Sure Thing” category that is reserved for students who are recruited by a college for a specific talent (think athletics, performing arts, debate, or leadership). You have gone through a recruiting process and have been made an “offer” by the college—perhaps ahead of the application process—which is based on a “pre-read” with the Office of Admission. This pre-read involves a review of your academic credentials and admissibility and must happen before an offer is extended to a recruit. After all, it is the Admission Office that admits you—not a coach or band director!
Take away: The bottom line is that if you meet the published criteria for a college in one of these Sure Thing categories, you can predict receiving a letter of acceptance. It’s not a question of applying and hoping for the best: it’s a way to create an opportunity for yourself. Anchor your college list with options in this category! Check the university’s website and confirm the process with your school counselor.
2. Holistic Evaluation
If a college does NOT admit applicants by the numbers, it likely uses a holistic process and admission is much harder to predict. What does “holistic” mean? Holistic medicine treats the whole person, not just an isolated part of the body or symptom. Holistic admission collects academic and personal information about a student in order to understand and evaluate the whole person, not just a student’s academic qualifications.
Can you predict your admission to a college that evaluates applications holistically? Maybe—but not with certainty. Keep in mind that the more selective the college, the harder it is for you to use data to make a prediction because the evaluation is heavily influenced by the qualitative aspects of an application—and by those mysterious institutional needs and priorities (keep reading to find out about these).
Colleges that evaluate applications holistically have four basic decisions to make upfront, each of which involves a lot of research and policy-making on their part:
What are the academic and personal characteristics of students who are successful at their college?
What diversity of backgrounds, interests, talents, and goals do they want represented in the first-year class and in what proportion?
What information do they need from applicants in order to determine their potential for success and impact?
Given that most colleges. receive applications from more qualified students than they can enroll, how many can they admit in order to have the right size first-year class?
So each college has to decide what information to use as they select the students they feel will be successful and contribute in a positive way to the college community.
Let’s break it down. These factors are measured and “rated” in varying degrees by colleges depending on what they value and what they believe predicts a successful college experience. The ratings—unique to each college—lead to an admission decision.
Academic Information
High School Transcript: coursework and grades
Type of School: type of curriculum, coursework available, rigor of courses taken
Academic experiences outside of school
Suitability for academic program of choice
Standardized Test Scores: required by a decreasing number of colleges and universities
Academic character: motivation, intellectual curiosity, problem-solving skills, potential
Writing Ability
Personal Information
Demographics: family, cultural, and linguistic background; geographic location; age, gender, ethnicity
Family circumstances, parents’ educational background
Talents, skills, accomplishments, school and community engagement, work experience, family responsibilities
Use of discretionary time
Personal character: integrity, independence, resilience, commitment, care for others
Institutional Needs and Priorities (examples)
The academic program you indicate as a potential major
Recruitable-level talent: athletics, debate, performing arts, leadership
Underrepresented diversity: first-generation, race, culture, geographic
VIP status
Alignment with college’s affiliation or values: religious, vocational, service, research
Ability to pay (full pay or low need) at need-aware colleges
Eligibility for merit scholarships if offered
Take away: Colleges assess many of the same qualifications in applicants as they decide who could be successful once enrolled. Once an applicant makes it through the first academic “cut”, the evaluation process moves on to other academic and personal qualities as well as potential contributions the student might make to the life of the college. Colleges are transparent about some—but not all—of the influences that shape their decisions and their rating system. This is why applicants who appear to be very similar may receive different admission decisions.
WHAT DOES AN APPROPRIATE COLLEGE LIST LOOK LIKE?
An appropriate college list is one that is balanced and a reasonable size.
There is a lot of room for individual choice when it comes to these numbers! This is not a one-size-fits-all-process. Some students say that as long as they have a few colleges on their list that they are reasonably sure will admit them and are affordable, then they can apply to as many highly selective colleges as they like. True! But keep the following in mind…
BALANCED
A college list should resemble a bell-shaped curve: big in the middle with small tails on the high and low ends. This makes sense if you have studied statistics! If you haven’t, think about it this way.
1-3 colleges on the Likely end of your list (with at least one “Sure Thing”)
4-5 colleges in the Midrange (Realistic)
1-3 colleges on the Reach end (Unrealistic)
This is what is known as a Vertical application list, meaning there is balance across levels of selectivity. A Horizontal list would be one that contains too many colleges in only one category—usually the Unrealistic end of the list!
College counselors everywhere agree that the bulk of a student’s applications should be in the middle category.
REASONABLE SIZE
The Common Application can be used to apply to up to 20 of its 900+ public and private member colleges; the Coalition Application represents 150+ colleges and allows for an unlimited number of applications. There are a small number of colleges and state university systems that have a unique application available on their websites. Examples are the University of California, California State University, Georgetown University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Brigham Young University, Berea College, Yeshiva University, and many military-affiliated colleges.
Does this mean that you should apply to dozens of colleges?
No. There are some big problems with this approach!
There is usually an application fee per college.
Most colleges require a unique supplement with questions and written responses that take time and careful attention because…
Generic applications do not make a good impression
In your application, most selective colleges look for evidence of your intentionality (your understanding of how the college is a good match for your background, interests, and goals). This takes research, time, and care.
Applying to more colleges does not mean that you are increasing your chances of admission.
Selective college admission is not a random practice. Applicants are compared to the college’s standard and compared with each other in a competitive process.
IMPORTANT STRATEGIES
There are no rules when it comes to the size of your application list, however, some strategies can help you make intelligent choices and focus your time and energy on a manageable (read smaller) number of applications.
EARLY DECISION (ED)
Some colleges offer the opportunity for students to apply ED; this means the college is your first choice and if admitted, you will enroll. In exchange for the earlier timetable and an advantage in the admission process, you agree to withdraw any other applications you have already submitted and not submit additional ones. Check out the ED v. RD statistics provided by Big J Educational Consulting.
Take away: Many highly selective colleges admit half or more of their first-year class through ED. This makes it a lot more selective in the regular review!
EARLY ACTION (EA)
Also on an earlier timetable, some colleges invite EA applications. There is no binding agreement to enroll—and it follows that there is not the same degree of advantage offered in return. The enormous value of applying EA is that you get an admission decision earlier in your senior year (usually December, January, or February); if admitted, you can probably shorten your list and breathe more easily! If deferred or denied, it may mean that you overestimated the competitiveness of your application (especially if you thought the EA college was in your Realistic category!). Watch out for the small number of highly selective colleges that offer EA but place restrictions on where else you can apply simultaneously.
ROLLING AND PRIORITY ADMISSION
Like EA, colleges that offer Rolling and Priority admission review applications and release decisions ahead of the regular review, allowing you—if admitted—to reduce your overall number of applications. Honors Programs (often a great option at large public universities) may require that your application be submitted by a priority deadline. Rolling admission means that you can apply at any time beginning summer or fall and that a decision will be made once your required supporting credentials are received. If you drag your feet and apply later in your senior year, rolling admission may be more competitive since many spaces have already been filled.
FINANCIAL NEED
If your family cannot afford the full price of a college, your college list must focus on colleges that will help. The availability of need-based financial aid and the aid application process will be explained on the college’s Financial Aid and Scholarships website. The Net Price Calculator is a tool on every college’s website (required by the Federal Government) that allows a family to confidentially enter financial information and get an estimate of what the first year of college will cost. The big question to find out in advance is what percentage of your family’s financial need will be met by the college—and watch out for unrealistic loan expectations!
Take away: You can’t count an unaffordable college as a Realistic choice.
MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS
If a critical part of your college search is “chasing merit” to bring down out-your family’s of-pocket costs, focus on Realistic and Sure Thing colleges. While not all colleges award merit scholarships (those not based on financial need), the ones that do will use them to attract the top students in their applicant pool.
SUMMARY TAKE AWAY + WORDS OF WISDOM
The most important part of your college list are the “Sure Thing” and Realistic sections.
Don’t apply to a college you would not attend. Every college on your list should be a place you would attend enthusiastically.
Submit some or all of your applications “early” so that you receive some decisions early in your senior year—in time to make adjustments to your list.
Understand what affordability means to your family. You can’t count a college as a Sure Thing if you are not also sure that it will be affordable. And BTW, being affordable does not mean having to take out huge loans. The maximum amount an undergraduate can borrow annually through the federal government loan programs (the best!) ranges from $5,500 to $12,500 per year, depending on what year you are in school and your dependency status. View these federal loans as you maximum—and stay away from “private” loans.
Being denied admission to a college does not mean you weren’t qualified or didn’t do a good job on your application. It means your application was less competitive or less distinctive than those of applicants who were admitted. Perhaps it was your academic credentials or the extra-selective program you applied for. Maybe there were just a lot of applicants who looked like you and you didn’t stand out. Maybe institutional priorities played a role.
It’s hard to NOT take a negative decision personally, especially when you have worked hard throughout high school, know you have a lot to offer, and prepared a strong application. The good news is that with a carefully crafted, strategic, and balanced college list, you will have some wonderful colleges from which to choose!
Special thanks to Susan Tree for writing this blog post
Susan is a native New Yorker whose career in college admissions has spanned decades. Following her graduation from St. Lawrence University with a BS in Psychology, Susan moved to New England where she worked at Bates College as Associate Dean of Admissions. She completed her Master’s degree in School Counseling at the University of Southern Maine. For the next 20+ years, Susan served as the Director of College Counseling at a college prep day and boarding school near Philadelphia where she worked with students from around the world. Since stepping out of that role, Susan has evaluated applications for a selective research university and is working as a consultant to schools, professional organizations, and families. A counselor at heart who loves helping students and parents launch their college searches, Susan finds time to be a writer, sports enthusiast, and mother of college sophomore twins.
