High and Low Reach/Target/Safety?

ucbalumnus
Sun, 29 Nov 2015 00:32:11 +0000

Out of reach: no chance that you will be admitted and be able to afford it.
Reach: unlikely that you will be admitted and be able to afford it.
Match: likely that you will be admitted and be able to afford it.
Safety: certain that you will be admitted and be able to afford it.

Note the affordability criterion. For example, if a school is certain to admit you, but it is too expensive at list price or with need-based financial aid, but there is a large enough merit scholarship, then you need to assess based on the chance of getting that scholarship. I.e. if the scholarship is competitive, it can be out of reach, reach, or match, depending on how difficult that scholarship is to get; it would only be a safety if that scholarship is automatic for your stats.

“High” and “low” for “reach” and “match” modify them slightly. “High match” is somewhat less likely than “match”, while “low match” is somewhat more likely than “match”.