How to Build a College List
Your college list should reflect you and your goals. To craft a list that is an authentic representation of your needs and wants, it’s worth taking the time to think deeply about the qualities that excite you about a college campus! Do you want to take art classes alongside a curriculum in the humanities? Do you want access to a large city, or perhaps to a vibrant college town? Your college list is a document that will change and develop over time as you pinpoint your goals and approach the application cycle. There are so many excellent schools to consider and while ultimately you will end up picking only one, it is important to know that there are multiple great fits out there for everyone. Here’s some guidance on how to build that list of great schools for you!
Work backwards from your goals. Take a step back to consider the big picture by asking questions such as: What are my academic and career aspirations? What subjects am I most engrossed by? Am I excited by a large campus, or do I thrive in smaller, tight-knit communities? You don’t need to know all the answers right away but thinking about these questions will put you on the right path.
Aim for an initial long list of 15-25 schools. By the end of junior year, you should plan to trim that list down to 10-15 schools. The “narrowing” process might also include swapping some schools on the list for stronger fits!
Consider your preferred environment. Ask yourself some other leading questions: What kind of environment do I do well in? What do I do in my free time? What matters most to me outside of the classroom?
Think about cost. It’s always worth including in-state schools and institutions where you could be competitive for scholarships. Even if your goal is to attend a university further from home, including cost-conscious options in your list can help create financial opportunities for you after you apply.
Do research. Learn as much as you can about universities and colleges by visiting their websites, attending webinars, and meeting college representatives when they visit your high school. Learn the basic stats, but also investigate the academic and social opportunities that you seek. At Arthur Smith Advising we have a step-by-step plan to help students uncover the important info you need to add or delete a school from your list.
Keep your eyes and ears open. You should utilize the connections around you in your family and friend group to learn from first-hand experiences! Combining the feedback of those you trust with the insights you gain from the research process, you’ll quickly realize which schools are in fact the best fit for you.
Visit. In the spring of your junior year and in the summer going into your senior year, try to visit colleges on your list. You of course can start visiting sooner than this, but beginning the visit process in the calendar year in which you will apply to college is perfectly appropriate. You won’t be behind! On your visits, prepare a few questions to ask your student tour guides about campus life and culture. And be sure to check out our guide on how to get the most out of a visit.
Seek balance. Be sure to aspire and reach for your dreams! But also identify schools that are not merely “back-ups” but institutions you’d be happy at…and which happen to have a more forgiving admit rate!
Be attentive to your interests during high school, start with a big list with the goal of narrowing it down, keep your eyes and ears open as others talk about college, and take the time to research and visit. Building on those steps, at Arthur Smith Advising we’ll guide you through each stage of crafting a balanced college list so you can enter your senior year prepared to focus, succeed, and enjoy your final year of high school.