Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
WELCOME BACK, GANN FAULKNER!
Let's continue your journey...
Gann, the Common App is officially open, but you are in a good position because there is no reason to rush your applications. Many of your preferred colleges are highly selective, which gives us additional time to strengthen every part of your application and make sure your work reflects who you are.
Several of these schools also allow students to submit an optional portfolio or supplemental project. Based on your interests and strengths, an independent research project is likely the best fit for you. Do not worry! I am going to walk you through the entire process, including choosing your topic, completing the project, building your applications, and following a clear schedule.
APPLICATION STRATEGY
We'll start the process by taking a deep dive into your preferred school list, an expanded school list, and application deadlines.
If you were to apply only to your preferred list of schools, your first application wouldn't be due until November 1, 2026.
So breathe a sigh of relief. We have time to strategize and get this right!
A2 ACHIEVE METHOD FOR BUILDING A BALANCED COLLEGE LIST
The strongest college list is not simply a collection of impressive schools. It is a purposeful group of colleges that gives the student more than one realistic path to a happy, successful, and financially sustainable outcome.
A2 Achieve builds the college list through the ASPIRE, ASSESS, and ALIGN stages of the A2 Achieve Method.
ASPIRE
The student begins by identifying what they want to move toward. This includes possible academic and career interests, the type of college experience they want, the people and communities they hope to find, and the life they are beginning to imagine.
College planning begins with direction, values, curiosity, and possibility, not a ranking list.
ASSESS
Next, A2 Achieve completes an honest assessment of the student’s current position. This includes:
- Academic performance
- Course rigor
- Testing
- Activities and involvement
- Leadership and service
- Employment and responsibilities
- Awards and accomplishments
- Application story
- Financial considerations
- School and family context
The purpose is not to label the student as “good enough” or “not good enough.” The purpose is to understand where the student may be competitive, where admission may be unpredictable, and what choices will create a balanced strategy.
ALIGN
Finally, each college is evaluated against the student’s academic, personal, financial, opportunity, and timing needs.
A school should not remain on the list simply because it is familiar, prestigious, popular among friends, or highly ranked. Every college should have a clear reason for being there.
THE FIVE AREAS OF COLLEGE FIT
ACADEMIC FIT
Does the college offer the student’s intended major or a strong pathway toward their goals?
Consider:
- Available majors and minors
- Course requirements
- Academic rigor
- Class sizes and teaching style
- Flexibility to explore or change majors
- Honors programs
- Advising and academic support
- Undergraduate research
- Graduate or professional-school preparation
PERSONAL FIT
Can the student imagine living and growing there?
Consider:
- Campus size
- Location and setting
- Distance from home
- Student culture
- Housing
- Campus traditions
- Faith or values
- Diversity and belonging
- Wellness and student support
- Clubs, athletics, music, arts, service, and social opportunities
FINANCIAL FIT
Is the college likely to be affordable for the family, not only for the first year, but for the full degree?
Consider:
- Published cost
- Estimated net price
- Need-based aid
- Merit scholarship potential
- In-state or out-of-state tuition
- Travel expenses
- Housing and meal costs
- Annual cost increases
- Scholarship renewal requirements
- Likely family contribution
A college acceptance is not a complete win when the financial plan is unsustainable.
OPPORTUNITY FIT
What will the student be able to access after enrolling?
Consider:
- Internships
- Research
- Clinical or professional exposure
- Study abroad
- Leadership opportunities
- Career services
- Alumni connections
- Community partnerships
- Faculty access
- Graduate-school and employment outcomes
TIMING FIT
Does the college’s application plan support the student’s larger strategy?
Consider:
- Early Action
- Early Decision
- Restrictive or Single-Choice Early Action
- Priority consideration
- Scholarship deadlines
- Honors deadlines
- Portfolio or audition requirements
- Rolling admission
- Whether the application will be ready by the deadline
A school can be a strong academic and personal fit but still require a different application strategy because of cost, timing, or binding admission rules.
COLLEGE-LIST CATEGORIES
HIGH REACH
A high-reach college has an extremely selective or unpredictable admission process. Even students whose academic records fall within or above the college’s published ranges may not be admitted.
These schools should be treated as high reaches for nearly every applicant. Strong grades and scores may make the student qualified, but they do not make admission likely.
A high-reach school belongs on the list only when the student has a clear, specific reason for applying beyond prestige.
REACH
A reach college is one where admission is possible, but the student’s profile may be near or below the institution’s most competitive range, or the institution may simply admit a relatively small portion of qualified applicants.
The student may be academically competitive, but admission remains uncertain because colleges also consider:
- Course rigor
- Activities and impact
- Essays
- Recommendations
- Institutional priorities
- Major or program demand
- Residency
- School context
- The overall strength of the applicant pool
A reach is not an impossible school. It is a school where the student should not build the entire application strategy around an acceptance.
MATCH OR TARGET
A match college is one where the student’s academic profile appears reasonably aligned with the college’s recent admitted-student ranges and the overall application appears competitive.
A match is not a guarantee. Admission may still be affected by major, residency, institutional priorities, space, and the strength of the applicant pool.
A strong match should also fit the student personally, academically, and financially. A school is not a true match merely because the student may be admitted.
LIKELY
A likely college is one where admission appears probable based on the student’s current academic record, testing, course preparation, activities, residency, and the college’s recent admission patterns.
No college is guaranteed unless the student qualifies for a published automatic-admission policy and completes every requirement correctly.
A likely school must be somewhere the student would genuinely be willing and proud to attend. It should not be an emergency backup selected without care.
SAFETY
A true safety must meet three standards:
- The student is highly likely to be admitted.
- The family can realistically afford it.
- The student would genuinely attend.
A school is not a safety when admission is likely but the cost is uncertain. It is also not a safety when the student has no interest in attending.
A2 Achieve recommends identifying both an academic safety and a financial safety. In many cases, the same college may serve both purposes, but that must be verified.
FINANCIAL FAVORITE
A financial favorite is a school the student would gladly attend that appears realistically affordable based on confirmed family resources, estimated need-based aid, predictable merit aid, in-state tuition, or another sustainable cost structure.
The financial favorite is not a consolation prize. It should offer meaningful academic, personal, and career opportunities while protecting the student’s and family’s future.
VALUE OR MERIT OPTION
A value or merit option is a college where the student may have access to substantial scholarships, honors programs, special academic opportunities, or a lower overall cost.
A large scholarship does not automatically make a school affordable. The family should compare the remaining net cost, scholarship renewal requirements, and projected four-year cost—not simply the scholarship headline.
DREAM OR TOP-CHOICE SCHOOL
A dream or top-choice school is the college the student is most excited about based on fit, opportunity, and personal preference.
“Dream school” describes the student’s enthusiasm. It does not describe the likelihood of admission.
A dream school may be a reach, match, or likely school. The student should not assume that the most selective school must automatically be the dream school.
HIDDEN GEM
A hidden gem is a college that may not have been part of the student’s original list but offers unusually strong alignment with the student’s priorities.
It may provide:
- A strong academic program
- Better faculty access
- Generous merit aid
- An excellent honors college
- Meaningful internships or research
- A supportive campus culture
- A healthier or more sustainable overall fit
Hidden gems often become serious favorites after the student completes deeper research or visits the campus.
HOW A2 ACHIEVE ASSIGNS THE CATEGORIES
A2 Achieve does not assign reach, match, or likely status based on GPA or test scores alone.
Each school is evaluated using:
- The student’s grades and academic trends
- Course rigor within the opportunities offered by the high school
- ACT or SAT scores, when considered
- Intended major or program
- Activities, leadership, service, work, and responsibilities
Loading....
Next up, I'll be loading your Common App strategy for your Activities and Honors/Awards, as well as brainstorming options for the Common App essay and short answer questions.
I'll complete these tasks as you work on your college list and your research project.
Once you complete your college list, I'll then craft your essay brainstorming options for each individual school's requirements.
