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5 years ago
Admissions Advice

What’s the difference between a target and a reach school?

I’m in 11th grade and go to an fcps high school. I just got an account here and wanted to know the difference between a target and a reach school.

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@Nyptes5 years ago

I also go to an fcps school :)

@ss1814 years ago [edited]

i also go to an fcps school!

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2 answers

16
5 years ago[edited]

For additional context, here are the percentage ranges on how CollegeVine defines Long Reach, Reach, Hard Target, Target, and Safety.

Less than 12% — Long Reach

Less than 45% — Reach

Less than 60% — Hard Target

Less than 85% — Target

85% or higher — Safety

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12
5 years ago[edited]

A "Target" school is a school that has a reasonable probability to admit you if you were to apply. Not too easy (those are "Safety" schools), but not too hard either.

A "Reach" school is a school that would be really hard for you to get into. These are usually your Ivy Leagues, but could also be other less competitive schools depending on your academic strength, extracurriculars, and other prerequisites.

Generally CollegeVine recommends that you have about 2 safety schools, 4 target, and 2 reach schools on your list. This gives you a decent chance of getting into a good school, while minimizing your effort and risk.

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Unweighted GPA: 3.7
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SAT: 720 math
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