<p>Hi all,
I am in the process of finalizing my college list and I wanted a fairly even distribution of reach/match/safety. Does anyone have tips on how to determine. I was using SATs as a strong factor but a friend of mine said thats a poor choice. Anyone else have a 'formula' for this?</p>
<p>-% admit
-$$$
-prestige
-GPA/SATs
etc.</p>
<p>GPA/SATs. Also fit is important. If a school doesn't really fit you, you have less chance of being accepted, but since all your schools are probably great fits, I think GPA/SATs are the major factor. There's not one real factor. Reaches are schools that you probably won't get into. Matches are around 50-50. You'll probably get into safeties. But think of you list as a list of first schools. You have to show that you want to go to your safety schools too. They should all be schools you really want to. </p>
<p>One person who really wanted to go to Amherst spent all his energy on applying to Amherst. He didn't get in. In fact, he only got into one "safety school." When asked why the other colleges didn't accept him, the admissions officers all said that the applicant showed very little interest in the school. So remember, all of them are first choices! That's why I try to avoid using words like reach, match, and safety.</p>
<p>This website has a great calculator that determines if a school is a reach, maybe, or good bet for you. It's free you just have to sign up. This calculator includes things like ECs in addition to SATs and GPA, which I think makes it a tad more accurate. Yet be warned no chances calculator is very accurate.</p>
<p>Here's the link:
<a href="https://www.collegedata.com/cs/promo/promo_calcodds_tmpl.jhtml%5B/url%5D">https://www.collegedata.com/cs/promo/promo_calcodds_tmpl.jhtml</a></p>