What is a match?

College Search & Selection
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<p>Everyone talks about matches, reaches, and safeties, but what is a match. It seems that a safety is clearly defined as a college that one is assured admission to (and/or will be affordable. A reach is a school that one is not sure of acceptance to.
Those two seem to cover the whole spectrum with those definitions. It may be that this definition of a reach only applies to those who are competitive for admissions to Ivy schools and the like and the real definition is any school that one is below the median of and is thus not likely to be admitted. But what is a match for Ivy-competitive students? Ivy league and equivalent schools cannot be considered matches but anything less could potentially put the student substantially above the median and make the school a safety. Is it a school with similar students but a higher acceptance rate? Is an acceptance rate in the twenties enough for a school to be taken out of the "reach for everyone" category?
So my overall question is just what the title says; what is a match?</p>

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<p>Generally, when someone calls a school a “match,” they mean that you’re the type of applicant who usually gets into that school. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s a very realistic option.</p>

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<p>This can be deceptive in the case of the most selective schools.</p>

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<p>I don’t think any one can call HYPMS, or the top tier schools a match.
A match should be carefully used, normally its a school ranked below American 30.</p>

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IMO, with a son who is Ivy-competitive, there is no such thing. I’m with you. But that means that you need to have a couple safeties and several reachmatches. And unfortunately, 10% * 10 does not = 100%.</p>

<p>This is where EA is REALLY nice. If you do EA you may get lucky and be able to cut down your December workload and fees applying to other schools.</p>

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<p>This, IMO, is the best way for Ivy-caliber students–who will likely have very reach-heavy lists, just by virtue of low acceptance rates at competitive schools–to handle the match issue.</p>

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<p>The kids I grew up with generally answered the question “Got a match?” with “Yeah - Your face and __________ (insert something rude).”</p>

<p>Sorry - just triggered a HS memory. :)</p>