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How should I narrow down my college list?
Hello to everyone reading this! I'm a junior in high school, and I have over 30 colleges on my list; however, I'm not sure how many safeties, reaches, targets, and so on I should include. Is there a specific number/range for each type of school I should consider? Thank you for your time!
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Martha’s Answer
Hi Ruth - this is a terrific question that will likely solicit a lot of differing advice. For example, I agree with Jacob that you want to avoid as much debt as possible. But I disagree that state schools are the only way to accomplish this. Some colleges, like Princeton, have "no loan" policies, meaning they will help you cover all expenses (room and board, tuition, books - even travel) without loans. Some colleges will cover tuition (see link below), which can be a large part of the costs. Third, some colleges have "Honor" programs that cover tuition or have special housing, advising or events.
Even more than that, however, there are potential trade-off for going to a state school. If the budget is cut - which often happens - you may not be able to complete your education in 4 years. So tuition may be less, but you may have to pay it for longer and you may be behind others your age in entering the workforce. The California state system is excellent and does attract people from all over, but you are likely to meet people primarily from your state. You may want to go to college out of state to widen your perspective and learn about another part of the country.
As for the mix of colleges, I would pick only a few reach's and only a couple of safety's. Focus primarily on good fit's. Don't apply to any school unless you would be okay actually going there.
Wishing you good luck!
Options for tuition-free colleges - https://thecollegeinvestor.com/39431/tuition-free-colleges/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=22762528996&utm_content=&utm_term=&utm_id=%7Bcampaignname%7D&place=&net=x&match=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22758855335&gbraid=0AAAAADwwK4aMlbwXeTSEorYCyvQ3L_kCm&gclid=CjwKCAiA8vXIBhAtEiwAf3B-g_YeuG5G-cp7nAMLf6ZCrqJ0ZgzsME_0a35swtkcjTW0z9l-R2lNoRoCezMQAvD_BwE
Even more than that, however, there are potential trade-off for going to a state school. If the budget is cut - which often happens - you may not be able to complete your education in 4 years. So tuition may be less, but you may have to pay it for longer and you may be behind others your age in entering the workforce. The California state system is excellent and does attract people from all over, but you are likely to meet people primarily from your state. You may want to go to college out of state to widen your perspective and learn about another part of the country.
As for the mix of colleges, I would pick only a few reach's and only a couple of safety's. Focus primarily on good fit's. Don't apply to any school unless you would be okay actually going there.
Wishing you good luck!
Martha recommends the following next steps:
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eva’s Answer
Choose a few safeties , a few college you like, and a few that are risky. I would narrow down results also by the cost this is a huge factor. Also location, if it is out of state you may have more through costs and travel expenses.
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Jacob’s Answer
This might not be popular, but unless you are trying to enter a field like medicine, law, or research, picking from local community colleges and state schools would be the most cost efficient method of getting your degree. The cost is often significantly less than out of state schools or private schools. The matriculation requirements are also much lower and any scholarships will go much farther. Outside of very specific fields, employers don't really care where the degree came from. Life is much easier without $100k or more in student loans and you can travel after getting a great job.