May 19, 2026 | Written by Harrison You

How to Choose What Colleges to Apply To: A Thoughtful Approach to Building Your College List

Choosing what colleges to invest time and money into applying can feel overwhelming. There are infinite factors – rankings, acceptance rates, pressure to “aim high”, among others. For many students, the trap is when they take the focus off of themselves. Instead, I encourage students to consider their list through the prism of the following question:

“Where can I grow, thrive, and become the person I want to be?”

For many students, college will be the first time they:

• Meet people from all walks of life
• Explore new interests (in and out of the classroom)
• Gain independence
• Discover and begin shaping the adult they want to become

Consider the following when pulling together a school list:

What academic environment am I looking for?

• What are the breadth of majors and minors offered?
• If I haven’t settled on a track of study, will I have sufficient flexibility in exploring different fields before committing to majors/minors?
• Are there specializations (e.g., unique majors, tracks within majors, research focus) that I’m drawn to?
• Do I prefer smaller class sizes or building relationships with my professors?
• Do I thrive in a more collaborative or competitive environment?

What social environment would I thrive in?

• What are the demographics like?
• At some schools, Greek life dominates the social scene. While that may be exciting for some, are there diverse interest and cultural organizations if I am looking for involvement elsewhere?
• What extracurriculars do I enjoy now and what would I like to try? Does this school have those opportunities?
• Do I want an urban, suburban, or college town environment? How easy is it to access these environments?
• Do I care about sports culture and school spirit?
• Would I thrive better in a smaller, tighter-knit environment? Or am I more excited by a large, bustling student body?
• What is living on / off campus like? Are there structures that foster community (e.g., themed housing, smaller residential colleges)?

What intangibles matter to me?

• How far from home do I want to be?
• Do I care about the weather? If you’re a Southern California native, your first winter in the Midwest may be a shock to your nervous system or an exciting opportunity to experience a new environment.
• Are there unique offerings about the location that matter to me (e.g., specific industry exposure, internships)
• What is the 4 and 6 year graduation rate? Higher rates may mean higher satisfaction and support for students.
• Do I believe the holistic day-to-day environment would make me feel energized and motivated?

Building a School List

The next step is to build a list of reach schools, target schools, and safety schools. I define these schools as follows:

• Reach Schools: Admissions is highly competitive AND / OR where your academic profile is below the average admitted student.
• Target Schools: Where your academic and extracurricular profile closely mirror the average admitted student. Please note that there is nuance here, as “average” varies depending on your background (e.g., location, demographic, school / major you’re applying to).
• Safety Schools: Where your academic and extracurricular profile is stronger than AND / OR a very good fit based on your intended school / major you’re applying to. However, Safety Schools shouldn’t be treated as backup plans – it’s more important to spend time researching here, as we want to ensure that you’re applying to schools that would still be exciting for you.

Students often overlook the breadth of schools available to them. Many are actually quite good fits, but students and families don’t know as much about these schools.

I recommend building a list that is ⅓ Reach, ⅓ Target, ⅓ Safety – this ensures there’s strong coverage across all your potential opportunities!

Financial Fit Matters

Finally, do take a hard look at the financial implications. Students and families need to think about the realities prior to admissions season. Budgets should be discussed honestly and financial aid policies / packages should be evaluated. College and post-college financial stress is REAL, so affordability should also be weighed when building a list.

Final Thoughts

Choosing a college list shouldn’t be about chasing the “prestigious” institution. Instead, you should put the focus on yourself, thoughtfully identifying options where you can grow academically, building meaningful relationships, discover new passions, and create opportunities for your future.

The “best” school is what is best for YOU.

Need help getting started? Reach out to me for a free consultation to discuss college planning and how to strategically apply this cycle.

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