How to Build a College List
Researching colleges to make the college list!
Putting together a college list can be difficult. Where do you start? When is a good time to start building your college list?
Putting together a college list can be difficult. Where do you start? When is a good time to start building your college list?
Think about beginning to build your list during your junior year of high school. This gives you time to think about what’s important to you and to do your research. Equipped with that information, you’ll be able to find the schools that are a good fit for you.
How should you get started?
Follow these steps to create your list and then narrow it down to about 8 – 12 colleges that you’ll apply to in the fall of senior year.
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1. Think about the college characteristics that are important to you. What are your must-haves, what would you like to have, and what can you not live without?
2. Make your top 10 list of characteristics for your dream college.
3. Research! Go through college websites, guidebooks, and virtual tours to find the schools that have the characteristics you want. You may not find a school that has all of the things you want, but the college should give you most of what you want. Resources to utilize are: Big Future, Niche, Peterson’s Guide, and Fiske Guide
4. Attend a virtual information session. This is an easy way to receive lots of information about the college and gives you a chance to ask questions. Another possibility is to contact the admissions rep for your area and chat with them.
5. Keep track of all the information you find out about the colleges. Make a chart or a list of all the things you find out. It’s easier to compare the schools against each other when you do this.
6. Look for trends in your research. What do you like about the schools? What don’t you like? What is something that you always come back to? This will help you decide what’s important to you and what you can live without.
7. Create a list of schools that seem to meet your needs.
8. Next, start visiting colleges if it is financially feasible for you to do so. If you can’t visit the school in-person, see if they will be visiting your high school or hosting an event in your area. Look for virtual or in-person college fairs. Do they offer chat sessions with tour guides or current students so you can ask some questions?
9. Review your top 10 characteristics. How well does each school meet your criteria? Which schools rise to the top? Consider your chance of admission. It is important to have a well-balanced list. There may be a few “reach” schools, but it’s important to have schools that are in your statistical range or target zone. Keep in mind there’s no such thing as a “safety” school anymore. Your final list should be based on good academic, social, and financial fits. Talk to your parents and guidance counselor about the schools you are considering and narrow down the list.
10. Create a list of schools you want to apply to.
Congratulations, now you have your list!
Gail Nichols, Independent College Consultant for over 12 years. Helping students to find their college is my passion.
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