The Risks of Applying to a Reach School

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Wow this is the same topic that someone told me about yesterday on the University of Nigeria Nsukka webpage http://www.unn.du.ng Thanks very much, now I understand in details the true meaning of this concept "reach school"

IDUEHE of NY 8:51AM April 04, 2013

awsome article.

Jonh of FL 1:24PM July 30, 2012

As a student coming from a low-income family, I think I might have an interesting perspective on this article. I am, without a doubt, attending a "reach school" (UC Berkeley). It doesn't help that I'm an out-of state student either. I'm taking out 8,000 dollars worth of loans on my own and plan on doing work-study. The thing is, I'm perfectly okay with this. Both parents and students need to remember and understand that secondary education is an investment. I could have easily gone to a state school and, with my GPA and ACT scores, would have not needed to take out any loans /and/ I could finish in three years from the gratuitous amounts of AP credits they were going to give me. But I know that while I am paying quite a bit for this "reach school", it will be well worth it. I'll be in debt for many decades, but it is an investment, and it's one I'm very happy with.

Taylor of KS 8:54PM July 06, 2011

I think explaining to the student before hand that financially it is not possible to attend "reach school is important. I applied for a school I knew I could not afford but loved that I was accepted. It gave me the confidence to approach college with a "can do attitude". I still have the acceptance letter (over 30 years old).
However, if a student isnt aware that financially its not possible --then they may feel their dream has been crushed.
In actuallity if they really dreamed of going to the more expensive schools-- they would have worked during high school, applied early and applied for every grant/scholarship available. The bottom line -- students need to take responsibility for funding their own education and not expect mom and dad to take care of it.

tammy of IN 8:26AM November 09, 2010

My brother and I (now of a certain age) had similar experiences with our college admissions. We both got into a "reach" school, but then our family couldn't afford to send us. We had to settle for a lesser, cheaper, school. The result was a certain life-long disgruntlement. How would our lives have been different if we had gone to that premiere college? I see the same thing in a college class I am now taking at a state college. A lot of the kids in my class really wanted to go somewhere else, and they did get in, but finances made them "settle" for the cheap school. Their disappoint is obvious. They talk about it. I think in many cases it effects their work.

Peggy of VT 2:12PM November 01, 2010

I agree with stated concerns mentioned above. However, the best sustainable education for teenagers starts always from the bottom to the top. While a student is intending to enroll at a college he should be able to enroll without any doubts and prove that he gained all necessary learning skills and prerequesites for courses he will need to succeed in his study. One of those most important prerequisites is to possess sufficient math skills, also depending on which major to choose. In addition, the prospect student should be out of the teenage age when he enrolls at a college or university. For example, most teenagers still tend to have feelings for other-sex peers during their studies. This kind of emotions of teenagers cause them to fail as well as lack of improving concentration.
So it may be a good idea to focus on primary and secondary school learning skills of pupils in the first place. I still believe that schools were not doing enough to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of pupils. As well as problem-solving skills are crucial skills every prospective student should have to succeed in college. For example in some European countries taking apprenticeships can help prospect students develop necessary skills and gain experience before enrolling in a college.

sencan boz of UT 7:32PM October 30, 2010

is to pick one from which you believe you would have a high probability of actually graduating with a four-year degree in four years. If the college is too expensive for you, too academically hard for you, too far away from home for affordable travel, or too crowded for you to get all the courses you need WHEN you need them, you are hurting your chances of buying yourself a marketable degree with the time and money you spend. You don't want to spend six years on a four-year project and you don't want to wash out but still owe a bucket of money for that experience.

Muser of NM 1:14PM October 30, 2010

I couldn't agree more with what Lynn has written here. For over 20 years, our firm has been preaching a similar message. There is an additional risk for students admitted to and enrolled in their reach schools too. That is, the risk of not having a life other than in the library or studying in one's room. Remember, by definition it is a reach school for the student in question because that student's credentials are close to the bottom quartile or bottom decile when compared to the credentials of typically admitted students. This translates into undergraduate stress due to the pace one must keep as a result of the academic rigor. This needs to be considered even for those who have the money.

Todd Fothergill, College Search GamePLAN of NH 10:26AM October 27, 2010