The importance of building a balanced college list

Updated on June 9, 2025

As you begin to prepare for your college applications, it’s important to build a balanced list of schools. When determining the number of colleges to apply to, be sure to include colleges with varying levels of selectivity.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through exactly how to build a balanced college list that maximizes your chances of admission while finding schools that truly fit your academic, social and financial needs. For an even deeper dive into this topic, check out our guide on how to research colleges effectively.

What is a balanced list?

A balanced college list includes schools across different selectivity levels that all meet your core requirements for academics, campus culture, location and financial fit. Rather than focusing only on brand-name institutions or reach schools, a strategic list gives you multiple pathways to college success. 

The key to balance is understanding how your academic profile (GPA, test scores, course rigor) compares to each college’s admitted student profile. This comparison helps categorize each school as a likely, target, reach or far reach option specifically for YOU. 

A truly balanced list ensures you’ll have quality options when decision letters arrive, preventing the all-too-common scenario where students who apply only to highly selective schools end up with no acceptances despite strong credentials.

Understanding College Selectivity Categories

Likely School

Likely colleges are schools with higher acceptance rates and where you are likely to be accepted based on your academic profile compared to that of the average student. For these schools:

• Your GPA and test scores should be above the 75th percentile of the school’s admitted student range
• The overall acceptance rate is typically higher than 50%
• Your academic strengths align well with the school’s offerings

How to identify a likely school for YOU: Compare your unweighted GPA and standardized test scores to the school’s published “middle 50%” range. If your numbers are above the 75th percentile, this may be a likely school for your list.

Example likely schools by typical admission rate:

• University of Arizona (85% acceptance rate)
• University of Iowa (83% acceptance rate)
• Arizona State University (88% acceptance rate)

Remember that even likely schools require thoughtful applications. While acceptance probability is high, you should still present your best credentials and demonstrate genuine interest.

Target School

Target schools (also called “match schools”) represent institutions where your academic profile aligns closely with the average admitted student. For these schools:

• Your GPA and test scores fall within the middle 50% percentile range, ideally at or above the median
• Your academic credentials are comparable to those of typically admitted students
• The overall acceptance rate usually ranges from 30-60%

How to identify a target school for YOU: If your GPA and test scores fall comfortably within the school’s published range for admitted students (especially in the upper half of that range), you should consider this a target school. Your extracurricular activities and essays will play a significant role in distinguishing your application.

Example target schools by typical admission rate:

• University of Wisconsin-Madison (57% acceptance rate)
• Fordham University (53% acceptance rate)
• American University (39% acceptance rate)

Target schools should form the core of your balanced college list, as they represent institutions where you have a reasonable chance of admission while still providing the academic environment you’re seeking. While that is a high probability, it is not a slam dunk! It just means that your profile puts you in the running for acceptance, but your essays, extracurricular (EC) profile and letters of recommendation (LORs) need to be very good to beat out the competition.

Reach School

Reach schools are institutions where your academic credentials fall at the lower end of the admitted student profile or where the acceptance rate is simply very low. For these schools:

• Your GPA and test scores may fall in the bottom 25% of the admitted student range
• The overall acceptance rate may be below 30%
• The competition for admission is intense even for well-qualified applicants

How to identify a reach school for YOU: If your academic metrics fall below the published average for admitted students, or if the school accepts fewer than 30% of applicants, consider it a reach school. Remember that some schools are reaches for virtually all applicants due to their exceptionally low acceptance rates.

Example reach schools by typical admission rate:

• Boston University (20% acceptance rate)
• University of Michigan (23% acceptance rate)
• University of Southern California (12% acceptance rate)

Your application to reach schools should highlight unique qualities, exceptional achievements, and a compelling personal narrative that sets you apart from other qualified applicants. Join our AdmitOne Podcast where our students share their admissions results and experiences getting into reach schools. Their firsthand insights could give you the edge you need in the application process!

Far Reach Schools 

Far reach schools are the most selective institutions that admit a very small percentage of applicants. For these schools:

• The acceptance rate is typically below 10%
• Even applicants with perfect GPAs and test scores face uncertain odds
• These schools may have large numbers of legacy applicants or other preferential categories

How to identify a far reach school: Any school with an acceptance rate below 10% falls into this category for nearly all applicants, regardless of academic credentials.

Example far reach schools:

• Harvard University (3.4% acceptance rate)
• Stanford University (3.9% acceptance rate)
• Yale University (5.3% acceptance rate)

While it’s fine to include 1-2 far reach schools on your list if you’re passionate about them, never build a college list heavily weighted toward these institutions. If you’re aiming for highly selective schools, be sure to watch our recent webinar What It Really Takes to Get Into Elite Colleges.

The Ideal College List Ratio: How Many Schools to Apply To

Building a balanced college list isn’t just about including schools from each category—it’s about having the right proportion of schools in each category. Here’s the expert-recommended ratio:

• At least 2 Likely Schools (25-30% of your list): Schools where your acceptance is highly probable
• 2-3 Target Schools (40-50% of your list): Schools where you have a reasonable chance of acceptance
• 2-3 Reach Schools (20-25% of your list): Schools where admission is possible but not probable
• 1-2 Far Reach Schools (0-10% of your list): Dream schools with very low acceptance rates

This distribution typically means applying to 7-10 schools total, though some students may apply to more based on specific circumstances or goals.

Pro Tip: Quality matters more than quantity. A carefully researched list of 10 schools that match your preferences is much better than a random list of 20 schools you haven’t thoroughly investigated.

Common College List Mistakes to Avoid

When building your college list, watch out for these frequent pitfalls:

• Overloading with reach schools: Don’t fill your list with schools where admission is unlikely. A balanced approach gives you more options when decision time arrives.
• Neglecting to research financial fit: A school that doesn’t offer adequate financial aid isn’t a viable option, regardless of its selectivity category.
• Choosing schools based solely on ranking: Rankings don’t measure fit or whether a school will meet your specific needs.
• Ignoring geographic diversity: Consider how location might affect your college experience and opportunities. Join our Making the Most of College Visits webinar to learn how to research colleges effectively, even without visiting campus.
• Applying to too many schools: Quality applications to 8-10 well-researched schools are better than rushed applications to 20+ schools. Focus your energy on crafting thoughtful, personalized applications.
• Not considering specialized program acceptance rates: The overall acceptance rate may be higher than the rate for your specific program. Engineering, nursing, and business programs often have more selective admissions processes.
• Not considering in-state versus out-of-state benefits: Some public schools may admit a much higher percentage of in-state applicants, whereas others may actually admit more out-of-state applicants.
• Missing application requirements: Each school has unique deadlines and requirements—create a tracking system to manage them all.

A balanced college list is your strategic road map to college admissions success. By thoughtfully including likely, target, and reach schools that all meet your core criteria, you create multiple pathways to a bright academic future.

The time you invest in researching and building a balanced list will pay dividends when decision letters arrive. Instead of pinning all your hopes on a handful of highly selective institutions, you’ll have created a thoughtful strategy that maximizes your options.

Start your college list today, and approach the application process with confidence knowing you’ve built a balanced portfolio of schools where you can succeed.

Need personalized help building your balanced college list? Our expert former admissions officers can provide customized guidance based on your unique profile and goals. Contact us today for a free consultation.