Reach, Target, and Safety Worksheet

Use real admissions data to categorize every school on your college list.

How to Use This Worksheet

Fill in your student's GPA and test scores at the top.
For each school, look up the admissions data (Common Data Set, NCES, or the school's admissions page).
Compare your student's numbers to each school's middle 50% ranges.
Circle the category: Reach, Target, or Safety.
Check the affordability and "would they go" boxes before finalizing.

Quick Reference: How to Categorize

Safety: Student's GPA and scores are above the school's 75th percentile. Acceptance rate above 50%. Student would attend.

Target: Student's GPA and scores fall within the school's middle 50% range. Acceptance rate roughly 25% to 60%.

Reach: Student's GPA and scores are at or below the 25th percentile. Acceptance rate below 25%. Any school under 15% is a reach for everyone.

Your Student's Profile

Student Name

Current Grade

Unweighted GPA

Weighted GPA

SAT Score (if applicable)

ACT Score (if applicable)

School 1

Acceptance Rate

Middle 50% GPA

Middle 50% SAT/ACT

Your student's GPA vs. range

Your student's score vs. range

Estimated Net Price (from Net Price Calculator)

Category:

Reach

Target

Safety

Affordable for our family

Student would attend if only acceptance

School 2

Acceptance Rate

Middle 50% GPA

Middle 50% SAT/ACT

Your student's GPA vs. range

Your student's score vs. range

Estimated Net Price

Category:

Reach

Target

Safety

Affordable for our family

Student would attend if only acceptance

School 3

Acceptance Rate

Middle 50% GPA

Middle 50% SAT/ACT

Your student's GPA vs. range

Your student's score vs. range

Estimated Net Price

Category:

Reach

Target

Safety

Affordable for our family

Student would attend if only acceptance

School 4

Acceptance Rate

Middle 50% GPA

Middle 50% SAT/ACT

Your student's GPA vs. range

Your student's score vs. range

Estimated Net Price

Category:

Reach

Target

Safety

Affordable for our family

Student would attend if only acceptance

School 5

Acceptance Rate

Middle 50% GPA

Middle 50% SAT/ACT

Your student's GPA vs. range

Your student's score vs. range

Estimated Net Price

Category:

Reach

Target

Safety

Affordable for our family

Student would attend if only acceptance

School 6

Acceptance Rate

Middle 50% GPA

Middle 50% SAT/ACT

Your student's GPA vs. range

Your student's score vs. range

Estimated Net Price

Category:

Reach

Target

Safety

Affordable for our family

Student would attend if only acceptance

School 7

Acceptance Rate

Middle 50% GPA

Middle 50% SAT/ACT

Your student's GPA vs. range

Your student's score vs. range

Estimated Net Price

Category:

Reach

Target

Safety

Affordable for our family

Student would attend if only acceptance

School 8

Acceptance Rate

Middle 50% GPA

Middle 50% SAT/ACT

Your student's GPA vs. range

Your student's score vs. range

Estimated Net Price

Category:

Reach

Target

Safety

Affordable for our family

Student would attend if only acceptance

School 9

Acceptance Rate

Middle 50% GPA

Middle 50% SAT/ACT

Your student's GPA vs. range

Your student's score vs. range

Estimated Net Price

Category:

Reach

Target

Safety

Affordable for our family

Student would attend if only acceptance

School 10

Acceptance Rate

Middle 50% GPA

Middle 50% SAT/ACT

Your student's GPA vs. range

Your student's score vs. range

Estimated Net Price

Category:

Reach

Target

Safety

Affordable for our family

Student would attend if only acceptance

List Summary

Total Reach Schools

Total Target Schools

Total Safety Schools

Balance Check

A balanced list for most students: 2-3 reach, 4-5 target, 2-3 safety. If your list is heavy on reaches, add more targets. If you have no safeties you'd actually attend, keep looking.