Individual college applications (aka supplements) don’t open up until August, but you should have a good idea of where you are going to apply well before you start adding schools to your Common App. If you are a Junior, the spring before senior year is the ideal time to begin to get your college list into shape for future success.
Some students have been thinking about where they want to apply for years, but many are working from a blank slate — and that’s okay! Below are our three top tips for forming a college list from scratch before summer.
Talk and Explore
Even knowing where to start narrowing down schools can be a conundrum, so we like to begin with human communication. If you have friends who are seniors, ask them why they applied to the schools they did and particularly what about those schools excites them. If you have older siblings, ask them about their college visit experiences, and if there is anything they wish they had looked out for. These conversations will provide you with valuable personalized information that goes far beyond what a Google search can offer. Similarly, college websites are overwhelming, so if you know someone who went to or is going to (or even lives near) a school you are interested in, try talking to them before diving into the website.
Once you do go online, don’t be surprised if it is often challenging to tell schools apart. Sometimes it feels like every college in the USA uses the same marketing team. Language is regurgitated, campus photos are similarly idyllic, and every school claims to be inclusive, holistic, multidisciplinary, and diverse. Remember that using words on a website doesn’t mean they are practiced in real life. Maintaining a healthy skepticism is indeed healthy. Ask yourself as you explore, what are they doing to put their words into action?
As you start exploring, it’s essential to accept that not every school will be a good academic fit for you. Tools like Naviance are not perfect, but they do help shed light on what is realistic for you to shoot for.
Along the way, you should be talking to your parents, or whoever else will be supporting you emotionally and/or financially in college, about what other limitations there may be. Do you need to stay close to home to help with family responsibilities? Would it bother you if going to the other side of the country limited your ability to visit home due to the cost of flights? These are critical conversations to have before you set your heart on a school only to discover it’s not an option for you.
Tour
Touring a school is the single most valuable and efficient way of learning if it would be a good fit for you. And just because you currently have to do them virtually doesn’t make them any less valuable. Try to tour as many schools as you can.
When you are visiting a school, or attending the online info session, maximize the visit by requesting an interview and class visit if they are offered. Most schools now have these options online. The more time you have immersed in the community, the more information you will have when you’re deciding whether it is the type of place you’d like to go.
If you are unsure of what type of school you are looking for, try on a few very different ones for size. For example, visit a large state university and a small liberal arts school, and compare the feel of a rural campus to an urban one.
Never Stop Taking Notes
You need to be taking notes every step of the way. After every conversation, during every tour, at every information session, down every late-night Google black hole, you need to be writing down your thoughts on what you are learning. Discovering an amazing program at an unexpected school is worthless if you can’t remember the name of the school.
There are many ways to take notes, but we recommend either going analog or old school. Designate a notebook with sections for your “college notes” or create a spreadsheet. This is not the time for voice memos, scraps of paper, or wandering notes on your phone. Putting structure in place will benefit you ten-fold.
Bonus Step: Be Prepared to Reevaluate
As you talk with friends and research and visit schools, you need to be prepared to reevaluate down the line. Grades change. Hopefully, they improve, as a higher GPA could mean a broader list of options. If you experience an academic decline, you may need to adjust your expectations to match.
But How Many Schools Should Be On My List?
Great question! Most of the students we work with apply to 8-12 schools (and we explain why here), but we feel confident with lists as compact as 6. There is no reason to over-inflate your list if you have a variety of schools and, ideally, a realistic and reachable ED option in mind.
Building your college list may seem overwhelming, but we promise that it’s worth it. Putting in the work now will make the marathon easier, and the result sweeter.
When we work with students, we help them every step of the way from selecting senior year courses to forming their perfect college list to deciding where to go from their list of acceptances. If this is the type of support you’re craving, drop us a line. We’d love to help.