<p>I really don't understand how to sort colleges into reach, match or safety catagory. I have a list of colleges but I don't know which are reaches/ matches or safeties for me and so I don't understand what type of colleges to add to my list. Heres my stats:</p>
<p>International student
SAT :1960
IB Diploma with 6 subjects TOK, Extended essay etc with an above average grade (not like a top grade). Maybe 36/45
ECs: Some community service with one leadership position
Organized a lion dance
Members of a few clubs here and there...
Nothing extra ordinary.
Recomendation:Average to below average I think because my teachers don't really like me but not terrible</p>
<p>My current list:
Carleton
Colorado College
Lafayette
Vassar
Oberlin
Bates
Whitman
Haverford
Lake Forest
Middleburry
Claremont Mckenna college
Franklin & Marshall
Lewis & Clark
Kenyon</p>
<p>Well, it would help if you posted your GPA/class rank, however, based on what is posted I'd say...</p>
<p>Carleton College... REACH.
Colorado College... SEMI-REACH.
Lafayette College... GOOD FIT.
Vassar College... REACH.
Oberlin College... REACH.
Bates College... SEMI-REACH.
Whitman College... GOOD FIT.
Haverford College... REACH.
Lake Forest College... LIKELY.
Middlebury College... REACH.
Claremont McKenna College... REACH.
Franklin & Marshall College... GOOD FIT.
Lewis & Clark College... GOOD FIT.
Kenyon College... SEMI-REACH.</p>
<p>from the way you describe yourself and based on your sat's, i'd say, speaking realistically so as to give you the best possible idea of where you stand, certain schools on your list (carleton, haverford, middlebury, and cmc) are out of reach. otherwise, i'd say it looks like this:</p>
<p>big reach: vassar, oberlin
reach: colorado
fit: bates, kenyon
probable but not definite: lafayette, f&m, whitman
likely: lewis & clark, lake forest</p>
<p>good luck, dude</p>
<p>You describe yourself as rather average, mediocre, asi asi, so unless you have some more confidence and some kind of special personality or activity or essay, I'd say that all of your schools, with the exception of maybe Lake Forest, Lewis & Clark, and F&M are reaches. It seems like people here are just giving a vague estimate of saftey/match/reach based on their perceptions of the school, but not weighing the school's selectivity with your stats. But it's impossible to tell without having your actual application in hand. I would just go through the schools profiles on College Board and really compare yourself with the information they list to get a better idea.</p>