What is a likely College?

College Search & Selection
1

I see all the time people use Reach, Match and Safety College designation. Is there any other name for these categories? What is a likely in the category? Does it mean match college or it means safety college?

Does possible means match; and likely means safety?

2

Likely would be between match and safety.

Note that safety should mean assured admission and affordability. But many posters here have “safeties” that are not, and get rejected from them.

3

thanks

4

Some schools use the label likely in place of safety, as sometimes the word safety has a negative connotation.

5

Very important point above. A safety or likely school should be one a student would be happy to attend AND one they can afford, not just one where they will be accepted. And a safety/likely school should be one that is actually one where admissions is effectively guaranteed. Even for a student with high stats, etc., a school under 40% is not a safety in RD. The acceptance rate should be something like north of 50-70% (depending on the student), and the student should have strong stats relative to the school’s averages. The focus is often on the most competitive schools, but many excellent schools have acceptance rates up in that range.

6

Another term is a “backup” school. For example Cornell may be a backup school for HYPSM hopefuls, but it is not a safety for anyone.

7

I prefer to use “likely” for those places that have always admitted students like you from your high school, and reserve “safety” for those places where you are a guaranteed automatic admit because of your stats and that you also are dead certain you can afford.

8

Our guidance counselor, at a top prep school, is saying for Top STEM girls some college that have around 40%admit rate overall but these college wants to attract very High GPA( 3.96 unweighted all classes are AP or college level classes starting 11th grade), High SAT I which are above 25 75 % of admitted class - 1550, and Very high SAT II can still be likely school. Daughter has few achievements on national level. But we are looking for need or merit aid.

Just curious if this is possible. Colleges are need blind and also offer merit as well as need based scholarships. College have very big endowments.