How do you actually build a college list that makes sense? I keep searching how to build college list advice and most of it is either super generic or assumes you already know what kind of school you want.
I have decent grades and activities, but I genuinely can’t tell what should count as a reach, target, or safety for me. Every time I think I have a balanced list, I realize it’s either way too ambitious or full of schools I’m not excited about.
Right now I’m trying to factor in:
- cost and financial aid
- location/weather
- major strength
- school size
- actual admissions odds
But I don’t know how to weigh those against each other. Like, is it smarter to start with budget and then narrow by vibe/academics, or the other way around?
I’d also love to know how many schools people had in each category. Did you use a spreadsheet, chance calculators, CDS, or just counselor advice?
If anyone has a step-by-step way they used to build a solid college list, please share because I feel weirdly more stuck on this part than on the essays.