Camille wrote: “I am very excited and nervous about this whole college application thing. I have one big problem though. I created a list of schools that I seem interested in. None of them are Ivy League schools but they are tough schools too such as NYU, Rutgers, Boston, etc. And the problem is I am not the number 5 in class and my average is about a B. So I don’t know what school to make as my “safe” because all the safe schools aren’t schools that I seem interested in or good schools. So what do you think?”
Thanks for the question, Camille. [And yes, I understand what you mean!] The decision for which schools to label as “safety” is a pretty tough one, especially when the ones you really like are more selective with their admissions. Before I go into that, however, I just want to let you [and everyone else out there] know that just because you aren’t at the top of your class doesn’t mean that 1) you aren’t still awesome and 2) you won’t get into a college that you like. While grades are an important part of your admissions application, they are not the only part. Essays, recommendation letters, and extra-curriculars are also taken into consideration during the review of your application, so don’t count yourself out just yet. And please don’t sell yourself short. I’m sure you worked hard for your B average so you should be proud of yourself. I’ve worked with plenty of student who had less than that and still went to college. So take a deep breath and relax.
From the schools that you named in the post, it seems like you have a pretty good handle on what you’re interested in. Since it sounds like the top two sections of the ‘reach-probably-safety’ list of schools are pretty much filled out, it’s time to focus on the third. A good way to figure out which ones would be a good fit is to apply the criteria for the schools you like to schools that you are confident that you can get accepted to. Figure out why you are attracted to the ones on your list and look for these qualities in other, less competitive schools. For example, if you like larger schools in urban/highly populated areas [like the ones you mentioned], then maybe you would be interested in schools like Temple University or the University of Maryland. Websites like CollegeBoard and the Princeton Review have search engines where you can do this with relative ease. The key is to find ones that will fit in with what you need to be a successful college student. If you are concerned that they aren’t “good” schools, visit them to find out for sure. Trust me, once you set foot on a campus you will be able to tell if you can see yourself there for the next few years, or if you should keep looking.
There is no way to guarantee that you will be accepted into any school, but the only way guarantee that you won’t get in is by not applying. College admissions is a bit of a crap shoot, so stay positive. Don’t let a school’s hype intimidate you and make you think that your accomplishments aren’t good enough… because they are! Keep in mind that what makes any school a “good” one is its ability to help you reach your dreams. It may not be the one ranked #1 by U.S. News & World Report or the one whose basketball team makes it to the Final Four every year, but it will be the one that is right for you.
