How to Make a Smart College List?

Lots of Uzbek applicants tend to google Top 100 Universities in the World and add all the “good-looking” colleges to their list. It feels like cherry-picking from a garden, where you aim for the best fruit among all. However, creating a college list starts with first knowing yourself before the college itself.

(a) What do you want to study at college? (It could be politics, econ, engineering, etc.) (b) What’s your academic standing? (Do you have an SAT score of 1500+, GPA 3.8+, etc.?) (c) How much can you pay for your education abroad? (Do you come from a well-off background, or a lower- or middle-income family?) (d) What’s your personality? (Do you prefer small, intellectual schools or large, lively ones?)

Let’s be real here: international students can’t afford to pay $15–20k a year, unless they come from wealthy families. For most of us, $2–7k is the maximum bearable amount per year. So, research what kind of financial aid policy your target university applies to international students. They might practice a need-blind, need-aware, or need-based policy.

Simply searching, “Is X College need-blind?” isn’t enough. Read the college’s website for exact information. For example, if you search, “Is Babson College need-blind?” it says YES. But if you search, “Is Babson College need-blind to international students?” it says NO. That’s because colleges use different financial aid policies for domestic and international applicants.

So, how can you build a smart college list? 1) I recommend reading Fiske Guide 2024. It has tons of useful facts about many American colleges. 2) Look through each college’s Common Data Set to find the SAT/ACT score range, acceptance rate for international students, and other key stats. 3) Reach out to current college students on LinkedIn. Invite them for a 15-minute chat and ask as many UnGoogable questions as you can.

Know someone stressing about college lists? Send this to them.

@getintocollege