Making a Balanced and Strategic Final College List (and When to Do That By)

It’s time to get strategic.

By the summer before senior year, you should be close to finalizing your college list. A strong list is balanced, personalized, and strategic. That means it reflects your goals, includes a realistic range of schools, and takes into account the latest admissions trends.

What does a “balanced” list look like?

Some places use a “Reach”, “Target”, “Safety” model. Because we like to be both contrarian and self-important, we separate into “1-5”.

1 — a school that, plainly, you are going to get into. 80-100% chance of acceptance. Nearly a guarantee. 

2 — likely

3 — a true 50/50

4 — not a good shot, but possible

5 — the exact opposite of 1. Like, if you got in, you’d send in your deposit ASAP in case they made a mistake (think Harvard, Stanford, etc) 

We generally recommend a sort of bell curve when it comes to how many of each type to include on your college list. 

• 1 – 2 “1” Schools
• 2 – 3 “2’ Schools
• 3 – 4 “3” Schools
• 2 – 3 “4” schools
• 1 – 2 “5” schools

But here’s the thing. What matters most is that you’d be happy to attend every school on your list. If you wouldn’t seriously consider your “1” school, why are you applying?

When should I finalize my list?

You don’t need to have it completely set in stone by the end of summer, but it should certainly be close. This gives you time to plan out application deadlines (EA, ED, RD), ensure your Letters of Recommendation have been submitted, finish your Personal Statement and wrap up supplemental essays. 

If you’re applying Early Action or Early Decision, you’ll want to lock that choice in even sooner, by the end of August, ideally.

How We Help

At Mulholland Prep, we don’t just look at stats, we look at fit. That means major interests, campus culture, financial aid, class size, even weather. We help students reflect on where they’ll thrive and feel confident about every school on their list.

So whether you’re trimming your list or still building it out, now’s the time to be intentional, and we’re here to help you do it right.