Service
College List
Building
A good college list isn't just reaches, targets, and safeties. It's a set of schools where a student would genuinely thrive — and where their profile gives them a real shot.
What this includes
- A realistic read on where the student's profile places them competitively — by school, not just tier
- A balanced list of 12–18 schools across reach, target, and likely categories
- Financial fit analysis: schools where the student's profile earns meaningful aid vs. schools where they'd pay full price
- Program-level research — identifying the right departments, research opportunities, and campus culture fits
- ED/EA strategy: which schools offer a genuine acceptance-rate advantage, and whether the student's profile is strong enough to use it
- Ongoing list refinement as results, rankings, and priorities shift
Who this is for
Families who aren't sure how to build a list beyond "reach, target, safety." A good list is specific: it knows why each school is on it, how the student ranks in that applicant pool, and what the financial outcome is likely to be.
Most families either aim too high (a list of all reaches) or add safeties as an afterthought (schools the student would never actually attend). We build lists where every school is genuinely considered.