How to Build a College List You’ll Love

What makes a great college list that high school seniors actually love? It’s not always the one that parents and high school counselors curate, but one that the students themselves are invested in. But with admission statistics, standardized test scores, and the daunting college essays, it can be overwhelming for students to refine a list that feels right to them. Johns Hopkins University suggests students “make a list of what you want in your college experience,” so let’s discuss what this actually means. 

What to Consider in a College Experience 

Before you consider what you want from a college experience, identify what matters to you. Does location, academic program, or the social environment matter to you? What about financial aid and future job and internship opportunities? It can be easy to say all of the above matters, but when you start thinking about prioritizing these considerations, 

calculating the net price of education, visiting campuses, and speaking with current students, you’ll start to get a feel for what truly matters to you. The most successful college lists are ones built on genuine fit, not necessarily prestige anxiety. 

How Geography, Program Strength, and Financial Aid Factor 

With each location comes new environments and climates. Urban campuses like New York University offer plenty of internship and networking events, whereas college towns like UC Davis offer a quieter, more close-knit community. If you’re planning on staying close to home, perhaps you may prioritize a college that offers internships and opportunities in your home town. Consider long-term goals and where you envision yourself after college because that can help determine where you want to be geographically. 

Not all colleges are equally strong in every major, so you’ll want to be mindful of which colleges offer strong programs in your field. Case Western Reserve University has a strong biomedical engineering and health sciences program with emphasis on research, whereas Purdue University has strong aerospace/aeronautical engineering, industrial engineering, and mechanical engineering programs with emphasis on solving real-world problems. Does the difference in emphasis matter to you? How about when you consider a college’s faculty, resources, and job placement outcomes, as seen in the 30 Boilermakers who have led Purdue to be known as the “Cradle of Astronauts”? 

The financial aid package is a huge factor for students and their families to consider, especially when considering net price. Harvard often meets 100% of student financial needs with no loans in aid packages. Other prestigious universities offer scholarships,

grants, and work-studies of similar comparison but the total cost depends on student merit and need. 

Visit Campus (Or Attend Info Sessions) 

Firsthand experience with colleges and their students and faculty is unparalleled. Actually walking through the campus glade and mingling with the professors and current students can be more convincing than a simple brochure or online ad. For those who cannot attend campus visits, schools like the University of Michigan host virtual tours with photos, descriptions, and first-hand accounts of Wolverine life. We’ve had many students reorganize their lists based on how they felt and what they envisioned for themselves while on tours. It doesn’t hurt to attend an infosession either, so we encourage students to explore campus in whichever way they can. 

Balancing Safety, Match, and Reach Schools 

What do you do when your safety has now become a reach school? Consider your academic statistics (GPA and standardized test scores). Are you way above the average of what is accepted and does the school have a high acceptance rate? Then perhaps, you can consider adding the university to your list as a safety after going through all of the aforementioned items. There is not a set number of safety, match, and reach schools that students have to apply to. The best list is the one that the student has thought through after much consideration because there are no guarantees. 

If you want a bit more information and guidance in curating a college list you’ll love, we at SK Education Consulting are always happy to help. 

Key Takeaways 

• Consider geography, program strength, and financial aid policy when curating your list. 
• Visiting or doing a virtual info session matters more than rankings because you’ll get firsthand experience. 
• There is not a set number of safety, match, and reach schools that students have to apply to. 
• The best list is the one that the student has thought through after much consideration.