I just read the piece on college lists being too top heavy (it was TERRIFIC and VERY helpful!). But I’m interested in your thoughts on the opposite phenomenon: I’m a pretty average student. (3.3 GPA as frosh, newly sophomore). Looking at schools I fit, and would be happy at, I get lots of middle pack schools. So would I be selling myself short with excess “safeties”?
There are a lot of very good universities. Many students get obsessed with attending a “big name” university. However, there are tradeoffs and there are a lot of universities where you can get a very good education.
One issue with highly ranked universities is that nearly all of the students are very strong. Many highly ranked schools have large graduate programs. This makes it hard for a strong undergraduate student to compete for internships and research positions.
I attended the highest ranked university that I got into (many decades ago). One consequence is that I was so busy studying that I did not participate in some activities that I regret having not been able to do.
I know someone who is attending a small university in Canada that you have probably never heard of. They are getting a great education, and are getting great research opportunities. They know their professors well. They personally applied for and got government funding to continue their research over the summer. You could have similar success at a very wide range of universities.
What is right for you will depend upon your personal situation and preferences.
I do think that there are some situations where a particular student might only apply to a few safeties.
Take a look at the safeties for which you have 100% chance of admission (including to your major if it admits by major) and 100% chance of affordability. Compare all other colleges on your list (whether reach, match, likely, or safety) to the most desirable ones of your safeties. If there is no possible way you would choose a college over any of your more desirable safeties, then it may not be worth applying.
You’re a HS sophomore looking ahead to freshman admissions, right? (Not a community college sophomore preparing to apply to transfer schools?)
There is nothing that says you need to push the envelope and attend the most competitive college you can possibly get into. There are hundreds of reputable schools that you could choose for a variety of reasons - particular programs that interest you, location and culture of the school, affordability, and so on. Being on the higher end of he admitted students’ pool can mean merit aid, access to honors programs, and the opportunity to be a standout student who will attract the interest and support of professors in your area(s) of interest. There are lots of reasons to have a “bottom heavy” list and as long as you have thought it through, there’s nothing wrong with it at all.
As @ucbalumnus says, the best strategy is to build your list from the bottom up. Find safeties that you love and know you can afford. That sets the bar. If you’re not finding “match” or “reach” schools that you’d choose in a head-to-head comparison with your safeties (taking into account the projected costs and all the other attributes that are important to you), then congratulations - you will have a straightforward application process and a stress-free senior year! One of my D’s friends got into the safety she loved in September (rolling admissions), never filed any more applications, and served as an island of calm all year for her harried competitive-admissions friends. Several others ended up choosing safeties after getting into some reachier schools but realizing they liked their safeties better. None of them seem to have any regrets!
Thanks everyone! I realize time is on my side, but want to begin preparing myself. “Brand” doesn’t matter to me AT ALL! I’m just looking for schools where I’ll be happy and can connect with people I otherwise wouldn’t ever encounter.
Sounds like you are on the right track. At this stage, you might want to start by focusing on two things. First, what kind of school do you think would be a good fit for you - would you be happiest at a big university with big-time athletics or do you see yourself at a small LAC in a more rural area, etc., etc. When my son was first thinking about college, I found a set of questions like this in one of the books I bought and it was very helpful in developing at least a preliminary focus. The other important question is what you and your family can afford. Every school has a Net Price Calculator on their website that will give you at least a rough sense what your family would be expected to contribute and what sort of financial aid you might receive. Some of the Net Price Calculators will also show you what sort of merit aid (not related to financial need) you might receive. Looking at schools without knowing what your budget is can lead to heartbreak. If you find that your family’s expected contribution is more than you can actually realistically pay, a “bottom-heavy” list might make a lot of sense if you include schools that are generous with merit scholarships. Even if finances are not an issue, there may be good reason to prefer a school that is not necessarily the most competitive school you could get into. It may be a better fit, you may prefer to be a big fish in a small pond, you may wish to be in a less competitive environment, etc.
Thanks for that @tkoparent ! I know I want a: Large, Urban, Diverse school. Sports and Arts aren’t particularly important to me. I’m also socially conscious, so activism is something I want.
You’re ALSO right about affordability!! My family created a 529 when they became a thing. Hopefully that helps pay for school.