Although you might have put together a long list of exciting colleges, it is important to eventually narrow it down to your top 6-10 schools. The best way to do this is to divide them into 3 main groups: safety, match and reach. Then, apply to 2-3 schools in each. Make sure to work on your list with your mentor and discuss your selection.

Safety Schools

A safety school is one in which your test scores, class rank and/or high school GPA exceed those of the average accepted student at that school. While your relatively higher credentials do not guarantee admission, they certainly increase the likelihood that the school will want you as a student.

Helpful Tip: Make sure that one of the safety schools you apply to is in your state and public. Why? Even though there is a good chance you will get financial aid at other types of schools, it is very likely that you will get a good amount of aid from in-state public schools. By applying to an in-state public safety school, you are also guaranteeing yourself financial safety.

Match Schools

A match school is one in which your credentials will be on par with the other undergrads typically admitted. A good indicator that a school is a match school is if your SAT or ACT test scores are midway between the 25th & 75th percentile of admitted students. You can find this information when looking at a particular college in the UStrive College tab. These are schools you should feel comfortable applying to. However, extra attention may be given to information such as honors, jobs, activities and family responsibilities, in order to separate you from otherwise similar candidates.

Reach Schools

Unlike a match school, reach schools are those where your academic qualifications are below the average accepted student and therefore it is less likely that you will be accepted. It’s important that you apply to a few reach schools because they generally have more resources, better financial aid and a higher graduation rate. Regardless of your academic record, the nation's top universities are always considered reach schools because of their selectivity and high applicant numbers.

How Do I Know if a School is a Safety, Match or Reach?

First, head over to your UStrive Settings and enter in your PSAT, SAT or ACT scores. Then head over to the UStrive College tab and you will be able to see whether a given school is a safety, reach or match school for you, based on how your test scores compare to first-year students. You can also find out more information by clicking on the school you are interested in or visiting the school’s website.

Helpful Tip: If you notice that some schools are not listed as safety, reach or match schools, it is because they have not reported what the makeup of their first-year student class is. Typically, two-year colleges fall into this category. If you notice that no schools are listed as safety, reach, or match schools, be sure to head to your UStrive Settings and input your applicable test scores.

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