DEVELOPING A COLLEGE LIST (continued) POSSIBLE (50% chance of admission) : Students’ credentials for admission are truly competitive, and they are qualified for admission. This is a school where students have a 50-50 chance of admission, as former Milton students with similar credentials have often been admitted, yet sometimes waitlisted or denied. Students will need to have at least two Possibles on their Final List. REACH (25% or less chance of admission) : There are two definitions of Reach. First, the percentage of admitted applicants to this school is extremely small, thereby affecting the chances of admission for everyone. Second, students’ credentials are not as strong as those students who are typically admitted from Milton. If a college is assessed as Unlikely (U), the chance of being admitted is extremely unlikely. Again, a designation of Reach or Unlikely at a school does not mean we do not support the student. The fact is, we would love to see each student get into every school. However, it is our responsibility as counselors to give students realistic assessments of their chances of admission.
It is important to remember that our groupings are estimates; this is not an exact science. These estimates assume continued strong coursework and a thoughtful, well-presented application.
Final Thought In creating these ratings for each student, we are looking at the student as an individual. One student’s Possible may be a classmate’s Reach. Most students have little difficulty identifying Reach schools that they see as ideal matches for their needs. However, identifying schools for the Possible and Likely categories sometimes requires more thorough investigation. Over the years, we have learned that our most disappointed students and families have simply not spent sufficient time and energy on this part of their list. In fact, we ask students to start their process by first identifying attractive Possible and Likely schools. These will act as the vital foundation of a student’s list. With that established, the student can then explore Reach schools with confidence. Developing a well-balanced and informed list of colleges is the key to a successful process and a satisfactory outcome.
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