Creating a college list is one of the most significant steps in your journey to higher education. This process is more than just compiling a list of schools that look good on paper—it’s about finding the right fit for your academic and personal growth. From touring campuses (both physically and virtually) to understanding each college’s culture and values, the process requires careful consideration and a bit of detective work. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about college list creation, helping you navigate the complexities of finding the perfect schools that align with your goals, interests, and aspirations.
1. Tour colleges both near and far to obtain a basis for comparison. Vary the schools to what extent possible, and take note of flyers in common areas, pick up newspapers, etc. to get a sense of the community culture and vibe. If it’s not possible to tour a school in person, do this virtually. Day Tripper is a great resource for this research.
2. Attend virtual info sessions and tune in to what a college shares beyond the numbers. Learn about the school’s background, values, and core identity. Remember, colleges are first trying to attract applicants before the power dynamic shifts after you submit your application. Look on each school’s website to find the schedule of virtual sessions. Yale University, for instance, posts their Online Events schedule here.
3. Explore social avenues like alumni databases, social media accounts, Reddit, LinkedIn, etc. Social media channels can offer you first-hand insight into a campus community in addition to what the school shares on its website. Just make sure that you filter everything you read or view with the knowledge that it’s an individual’s perspective, and not necessarily a reliable or shared one.
4. Examine programs of interest, particularly course requirements. When you read through the course catalogue, are there course descriptions that excite you. When you delve deeper and look into the professor who teaches that course, does their work inspire you? You’ll also want to check the requirements for each program to make sure that you have the requisite freedom to explore your interests both inside and outside the classroom.
Note: known, impacted (selective or capped) majors generally have lower admit rates vs. liberal arts colleges with the option to select your major sophomore year.
5. Consider extracurricular opportunities. Do you want a robust study abroad program? How about research opportunities? Remember that large research institutions, while boasting an impressive array of opportunities for students, offer many of their advertised positions to graduate students. So, consider whether a school with an undergraduate focus (e.g. Cal Poly SLO) will provide you with a better overall academic experience.
6. Call on your high school experience to identify your priorities in terms of size, academic rigor, focus on athletics, school spirit or sense of community, opportunities for engagement within school, etc. Contact us and use the questions posed on the Dimension Admissions Onboarding Questionnaire as your guide.
7. If financial aid is a consideration, consider a school’s endowment. Schools with sizeable endowments can offer more support for students in need. Who gets aid and how much is determined by private consulting companies tasked with maximizing the school’s income. Wikipedia is actually a fine source for this publicly available information!
8. Consider the postgraduate experience for alumni. What percent are employed in their field after graduation? What percent attend graduate school? For instance, Stanford’s Graduate School of Education offers an array of charts and details about its graduates. Many schools don’t offer this level of detailed information, but for those that do, it’s worth a look.
9. Determine the likelihood of admission. Of course, you’ll want to consider your transcript in light of the school’s stated data for accepted students—found in the school’s Common Data Set, like Vanderbilt’s here. If you have an account through your school, log in to Naviance, Scoir, or Maia to track admissions outcomes for your school, specifically, so as to compare your own GPA and test scores to students from your high school who were admitted to each college you’re considering.
10. Ensure a balanced school list. Yes, you want to go to the best school possible—whatever that means for you—and applying to as many as possible feels like the best way to maximize your chance of acceptance to a top school. But submitting an application that is anything short of your absolute best is a surefire way to find the rejection pile, so limit the reach schools, often accompanied by a range of supplemental essays—reach out for help writing college essays!—and consider instead how to bulk up those in your target category. There are so many great schools out there, and the best way to get excited about a school beyond its ranking is to do your research.
Most importantly, have some fun with this process! Applying to college is an adventure and a privilege, not to mention an achievement in itself. Good luck, and reach out with any questions about our process!
Christopher holds a B.A. from Yale University, an M.F.A. in Fiction from the Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College, and an M.A.Ed. from NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, where he was inducted into the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education. He is a certified independent educational consultant through UC Irvine and is a professional member of both the National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC) and the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA).
Christopher founded Dimension Admissions in the summer of 2019, following eight years as an independent school instructor, administrator, and admissions file reader. During this time, he also conducted alumni interviews for Yale University. He is an expert in educational advising, English language and literature, teaching, personal narrative writing, academic and extracurricular planning, school selection, and admissions.
His objective is to empower each client to articulate how their lived experiences have shaped their personal identity, and to determine how they will utilize this foundation to engender future growth and contribute meaningfully to their communities. While his primary goal is to send each of his clients to their dream school, his success is also contingent on whether they emerge from their work with Dimension Admissions more self-aware and confident as they embark on the next chapter of their life’s journey.
