3 Steps to Creating a College List

Knowing when and how to create a college list is an important step in planning for college. This is how you’ll begin to visualize life on a college campus, student culture, and expanding your horizons through classes and opportunities.

There are multiple ways to start your college list. For example, you might want to create a vision board with pictures of campuses or college logos to help you decide where you want to go. This is a great way to get creative and prepare yourself for building your list. 

Start by thoroughly researching and exploring colleges and universities that align with your academic, personal, and career goals. Follow these tips to build a strong college list.

1. Ask yourself some questions.

Building a college list requires answering questions to help you focus your college search. Visit College Search Step-by-Step to learn about basic college categories and find answers to questions about your preferences.

2. Search for Colleges.

Use College Search to find colleges that match your preferences. Narrow your search by using filters such as location, major, and size. You’ll have guidance to help you along the way so you can start building a list.

You can also match colleges and scholarships with the Student Search Service™. This service allows you to connect with over 1,500 four-year universities and access $300 million in scholarship opportunities.

3. Add Colleges to Your List.

Check out individual profiles of the colleges that come up in your College Search results. When you see a college you like, click Add to List to save it to a favorites list. 

Once you’ve made a list of colleges you’re interested in, narrow it down to the colleges that are a good fit and where you plan to apply. You’ll need a minimum of six colleges on your list, including 3 reach, 2 match, and 1 safety. This will ensure your college list is balanced.

• Reach: Your SAT score, ACT score or estimated GPA is lower than the average score range of last year’s first-year class—but don’t let that stop you! Colleges consider a range of factors during the admissions process.
• Match: Your SAT score, ACT score or estimated GPA is solidly in the same score range as last year’s first-year class.
• Safety: Your SAT score, ACT score or estimated GPA is higher than the average score range of last year’s first-year class.

Plan Your Campus Visit. 

Now that you have your list, it’s time to set out and explore!

A campus visit or college tour is a perfect way to explore colleges. This gives you the opportunity to learn about academics, facilities, campus life and, of course, the dorms.

You might be able to schedule campus tours easily if some colleges on your list are near you. If some colleges on your list are far away and you can’t immediately schedule visits, you can find several ways to learn about colleges online and experience them from the comfort of your home.

What Now?

For more about searching for colleges, visit How to Decide What Colleges to Attend.

View our Your Complete Guide to Campus Tours and Campus Visit Checklist to prepare you for your campus visit.