Academically Balanced
Criteria that mean a college is a safety
What is:
Typically, at least a 50% acceptance rate
Your GPA meets or exceeds the average admitted student’s GPA
If the school requires test scores, your ACT/SAT scores meet or exceed the average admitted student’s ACT/SAT scores
Criteria that mean a college is a financial safety
What is:
In-state public options
Colleges with automatic scholarships (i.e. University of Alabama), where you know the minimum scholarship you will be awarded and it fits within your budget
Colleges that meet 100% of demonstrated need (assuming you can meet your EFC)
Criteria that mean that a college is a target.
What is:
Schools with lower acceptances rates
For public universities, keep in mind if the college has a different acceptance rate for in state vs. out of state
Your GPA and/or test scores are not quite meeting the averages
A number you should know and feel comfortable meeting, in order to consider colleges that meet 100% of demonstrated need a financial safety.
What is EFC (Expected Family Contribution)?
Criteria that mean that a college is a reach.
What is:
Lower acceptance rates
Colleges with less than a 20% acceptance rate are reaches for everyone!
Keep in mind if you’re applying to competitive or “impacted” majors (i.e. engineering, computer science, etc.) that those programs tend to have much smaller acceptance rates - that may mean that certain schools are only a reach if you’re applying to that specific major
Your GPA and/or test scores are quite far from the average admitted student stats
A conversation you should have with your parents in order to understand what a financial safety is for your family.
What is a conversation about budget?
How many safety schools you should have on your list.
What is 3-4?
How many financial safety schools you have on your list.
What is at least 3?
How many target schools you should have on your list.
What is 3-4?
Criteria at least 1 financial safety on your list should have.
What is an in-state public option that is also an academic safety?