Safety vs. reach: what's the right mix of schools on your college list?

When creating your college list, you should have a balanced number of safety, match, and reach schools, which refer to your chances of receiving an acceptance letter. However, finding that balance may be easier said than done. In this article, we've outlined some tips on how to build out your list so you can potentially improve your college admission chances.

Safety vs. match vs. reach schools

Your mix of schools—safety, match, and reach—all refer to your personal chances of getting into a college.

Safety Schools

A safety school is one you're almost guaranteed to be accepted to if you apply, generally above a 70% chance of admission. You meet and/or surpass all of the qualities and accomplishments the college is looking for in an applicant. The school might also have a very high acceptance rate.

In the event you don't get accepted to your other choices, a safety school means you're not out of luck come fall. You likely have this option in your back pocket.

You might also see 70% to 90% referred to as "near safety" and anything above a 90% as "safety."

Match

You roughly have a 50/50 chance of being accepted to a match school – or between 40% to 70%. You meet all or most of the college's expectations. The college is usually at least fairly selective.

Reach

Reach colleges are schools where you're less likely to receive an acceptance letter – below 40%. Anything under 15% is a "huge reach." You meet some or all of the requirements, but the college might also be highly selective.

Ivy Leagues are generally reach schools, as they have extremely low acceptance rates. Even students who have outstanding applications aren't always accepted since the colleges have limited space.

How many colleges should I apply to?

Most students should aim to apply to 8 to 12 colleges, with a healthy mix of safety, match, and reach schools. However, this is just a recommended range, not a rule.

You might apply to fewer if you're worried about application costs, limited on time, or are applying under early decision or restricted early action. A niche major could also limit your college pool. That said, fewer applications might mean you're less likely to receive an acceptance letter, depending on your mix of schools.

On the other hand, you may want to apply to more than 12 if you're trying to get into several reach colleges or want more financial aid offers.

Cap the number of schools you apply to in order to give each application the attention it deserves. If your list is getting too long, you've likely included colleges that don't truly meet what you're looking for.

What's the right mix of schools on a college list?

Most of the colleges on your list should be considered your matches, followed by reach and safety schools.

For example, if you apply to 10 colleges, you'll want 5 matches, 3 reaches, and 2 safeties. There's some wiggle room, but you ultimately want a list that increases your chances of acceptance to at least one college.

Whichever ratio you use, don't create a list that consists solely of reaches – you might not receive an acceptance letter to any of them. However, that doesn't mean you should rule them out entirely, either. Even if you only have a 5% chance of acceptance, you could be pleasantly surprised.

How to create a balanced college list

You first need to find schools that meet your needs and where you have a good chance of getting accepted. Follow these tips:

• Consider your major and preferences. Think about your preferred focus, desired location, campus size, class size, and more. Don't apply to schools you hate or ones that don't have your desired major.
• Compare schools. As you grow the list, compare your options, visit campuses, and remove schools that don't make the cut. You can learn more about what institutions are looking for by visiting their websites and Common Data Set reports.
• Determine personal acceptance chances. While a school might accept 50% of students, it doesn't always mean you have a 50% chance of getting in. If the college rarely admits students below a 30 ACT and you have a 27, your chances are lower.

College Raptor, Citizens' college planning platform, makes creating your balanced college list easier. The College Match Tool helps you find schools that meet your interests and preferences and highlights your personal admission chances. You can clearly see which colleges are your matches, safeties, and reaches, and what you need to do to increase the possibility of receiving an acceptance letter. You're able to build out your list, remove schools, and add new colleges you discover – all in one place.

Visit us at the Citizens Student Hub for application tips, important deadlines, helpful tools, and everything else you need to help you find your right fit college.