Safeties, Targets and Reaches: Building Your College List

What’s one of the hardest things about the college application process? We think it may very well be narrowing down your choices!

Given the amount of resources (time, energy and money) that get eaten up by each application – and what’s actually at stake – you have to be strategic in your approach. Most experts recommend that your list be a healthy mix of “safeties,” “targets” and “reaches.”

How Are These Categories Defined?

A “safety” school is any school where you believe that you have a pretty solid idea that you will be accepted. It’s not your first choice – and probably not your second – but it’s an acceptable backup plan in case you don’t get admitted to schools that are higher on your list.

A “target” school, in comparison, is one where you still have a strong chance of admission, based on everything you know. The competition for admission may be a bit tougher than average, but you have the credentials that should put you at the forefront of the incoming applications. It is also a school that you feel pretty excited about attending, even if it isn’t your dream school.

A “reach” school, of course, is the school of your dreams, whether it’s part of the Ivy League or a top-tier school. However, you know that – no matter what your credentials or personal achievements – the competition for admittance is going to be tough. Your chances of making it in aren’t exactly nonexistent, but you’re realistic enough to know that they’re also less than 50%.

What Factors Do You Need to Weigh When Building Your List?

The first thing you have to acknowledge is that every student’s safeties, targets and reaches are going to be a little different. The hard-to-quantify factors you have to take into account are your personal goals and your sense of community at each school. In other words, you need to ask yourself, “What schools make me feel like they can meet my needs?” and “Which schools make me feel like I belong?”

It’s a bit easier to quantify the other factors you have to take into consideration. These should include:

• Your grade point average (GPA) compared to the average GPA of the school you’re considering for your list. If you have a 3.7 GPA and the average GPA of admitted students for a school is 3.6, that lets you know that you’re comfortably in the running.
• Your ACT and SAT scores compared to the school’s average test score in their admitting classes. If a school is still requiring ACT or SAT scores, you need your scores to be comfortably within the range of admission for that school to even make your list.
• The school’s admission rate. This is totally outside of your control, but it can make the difference between a “safety” school and a “target” school, and a “target” versus a “reach” school. Low, low admission rates have plagued some of the Ivy League and Top Tier schools lately, which is an indication that they’re being flooded with applications. That makes your competition fierce.
• The school’s willingness to provide financial aid. If you don’t need to worry about this, you can check it off your list. If you do, then knowing whether or not a school will cover only 60% of your demonstrated financial need versus 100% of that need could be critical to your decision-making process.

Building your list of targets, safeties and reaches can take a lot of research and work, but it’s an essential first step – something you need to do before you even begin applications. The sooner you have your list in mind, the more clearly you can tailor your admission strategy.