Smarter Admissions

As July draws to a close and the new school year quickly approaches, rising seniors who are planning to go to college after graduation should be finalizing the list of schools to which they plan to apply. (Haven’t even started making a list? Study Smarter’s College Application Strategy package is for you!)

Building a college list should consider a student’s academic goals, social needs and wants while fitting within the family budget. It also needs to be balanced based on admissions data so that a student isn’t disappointed by their options in the spring. 

What’s your budget?

Finalizing your college list should begin with a clear understanding of your budget. If you haven’t already used the Net Price Calculator for your intended schools, now is the time to do so. If the anticipated cost of attendance is higher than what you and your family can afford, do not apply. It is heartbreaking to have a dream crushed by the reality of budget. It’s far better to be realistic from the outset.

Does the list reflect your academic goals?

Doing thorough research about each of your intended colleges should give you the information you need to determine if the school fits your academic goals.

• Does it have the major you want to pursue?
• How easy or hard is it to change majors if you’re not certain what you want to study?
• Are there opportunities for you to do research?
• How is the study abroad program, and can you still graduate on time if you do it?

All of these questions should be answered before a school makes your final college list.

Do the schools align with your social needs?

Whether you want to go to a big school or a small school is a personal decision. There are fantastic colleges of all sizes! But knowing what your options are for residential living, extracurricular activities, intramural sports, or religious-based communities may all factor into your decision of whether a school is right for you. Again, doing your research is important to make sure your social needs are being met so that your time in college fuels your personal growth.

Is your list balanced?

Even if you are the valedictorian of your high school class with a perfect standardized test score, college admissions is still competitive. Remember that every school has institutional priorities that drive admissions decisions, so a perfect academic record isn’t a golden ticket. Your final college list needs to be balanced with regard to reach, target, and likely schools. Make sure that there are financial safeties in addition to academic safeties to avoid disappointment in the Spring.

Finalizing your list

Remember that your time and energy are valuable. Apply only to schools that you would actually consider going to! There is no use applying to more schools just to collect acceptances. Focus your attention and effort on schools you really care about, and put forth your best application to each. 

Once your list is finalized, read our post about the college application process so that you know what to do next. If you need support as you work through the process, Study Smarter’s college consulting team is here to help with essay coaching and application accountability.