<p>Is this list of colleges balanced as far as safeties, matches, and reaches based on my high school stats? Do I have colleges on the list that are wrongly labeled?</p>
<p>G.P.A. - 3.45 (unweighted)
All honors and AP core classes and four years of a foreign language
SAT: 560- Reading, 540- Math, 550- Writing (<<First time, will be retaking) </p>
<p>Reaches:
Boston University
Mount Holyoke College
Skidmore College</p>
<p>Matches:
Simmons College
Goucher College
The Catholic University of America
American University
Connecticut College
Wheaton College</p>
<p>Safeties:
Indiana University (In-State)
University of Cincinnati </p>
<p>My major will be International Affairs. </p>
<p>Also, does anyone have suggestions of colleges that are similar to those listed above?</p>
<p>If your safeties are both financially and academically safe, then that end of your list is done. If not, you need to identify at least one place that you and your family can pay for without any aid other than federally determined (FAFSA) aid, where you are certain of admission based on your grades and ACT/SAT scores, that offers your major(s), and that you would be happy to attend if all else goes wrong in the admissions process.</p>
<p>You also need to sit down with your parents (or whoever else it is who will be helping you pay for your education) and find out about the money side of the equation. Have them read through some of the information in the Financial Aid Forum so that they are prepared for the decisions that they will have to help you make this time next year.</p>
<p>If you get closer to 640 you might consider Macalaster and Occidental which are both known for international relations/studies. Maybe GW as a reach? Check which ones will care if you visited —generally the small ones might and the bigger ones won’t care but it helps to plan that.</p>
<p>Would any of my reaches be categorized as reaching too far? I would really like to narrow my reaches down to only 1 school (possibly 2), as well as eliminating two of my matches.</p>