<p>Hello!</p>
<p>What is the difference between high match, low match, match, high reach, reach, and low reach schools?</p>
<p>Please arrange these in order of [hardest-easiest], as I am pretty confused as to how "high match" and "low match" would differ. </p>
<p>Thanks in Advance!</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure it goes:
High Reach
Reach
Low Reach
High Match
Match
Low Match
Safety </p>
<p>Krpoltax is correct about the hierarchy, but I haven’t found this unfortunate reach/match/safety paradigm to be helpful for the students I have known the last decade. The idea is that “reach” schools are going to be hard for you to be admitted into or to pay for, and “safety” schools" are very easy for you to be admitted to and pay for, with the “match” schools in-between. But a college choice should be based on a “fit,” not grabbing a brass ring that some list has set you up for. It will take a lot of research and thought to identify those schools that are best for your interests, preferences, and strengths, and that you will be able to afford. IMHO, you should be going for fit/fit/fit rather than reach/match/safety. Best wishes!</p>
<p>Someone said to me that a smartypants from Idaho can check high match for Rice and low match for University of Richmond.</p>
<p>High match would mean it is slightly harder to get into than a low match. Its all kind of stupid to me; makes things more confusing. </p>
<p>Being admitted doesn’t matter if you can’t afford to attend. </p>