The 2 x 2 x 1 College List: 5 Steps to Finding the 5 Best Colleges for You

A 5-step process to help students identify the 5 best colleges for them to apply to.

By Becky Pincince

If you’re planning on going to college, regardless of your age, identifying the schools you want to apply to and your chances of getting in are two of the most important things you can do. But between college rankings, family expectations, and the general frenzy and pressure of application season, how do you decide which colleges are best for you and your goals? The 2 x 2 x 1 method is a great way for you to focus on where you are, where you want to be, and the best five colleges to help you get there.

1. Assess Where You Are

First, what year are you in high school? If you are a freshman or sophomore, you have years ahead of you to work hard in school, try extracurriculars that match your interests, explore your career options, and prepare for standardized tests. There is a growing movement to eliminate the SAT and ACT from college admissions permanently, especially with COVID-19, so keep an eye on that situation as you move forward.

If you are a junior or senior, you need to examine your performance so far and decide how you feel about it. You still have time to improve, but you also need to be realistic about what you can accomplish with the remainder of your time in high school. When it comes to the SAT and ACT, remember that many schools have opted to go test-optional or test-blind for applications this year.

When it comes to college credit through an early enrollment program, another factor to consider is whether there is a transfer program you can use to bring it with you. Also, if you will graduate with your high school diploma and an associate’s degree at the same time, it could even be worth looking past your undergraduate years and considering spending the traditional 4 years of college getting your bachelor’s and then your master’s.

2. Think About Where You Want To Be

A lot of this process requires that you are honest with yourself about what you want your life to look like. This might be different from what your parents, teachers, or community want, but that’s okay even if it’s a difficult thing to realize. Ultimately you will be the one attending school and working to build a career, so be honest with yourself about which college will help you reach your goals and which career will enable you to lead a fulfilling life. The Japanese concept of ikigai, or “reason for being”, is useful to consider here. Find your ikigai and then explore career fields that align with it.

However, remember that “where you want to be” goes beyond your work life. Also consider your financial goals, how much debt you are willing to take on, whether you want to live someplace new, meet new people, or start a family someday. These are huge questions, and it’s totally okay if your answers to them change over time. But having an idea of what you want your future to look like will give you some guidance as you plan your next steps.

3. Decide What You’re Looking For in A College

There are a lot of factors that come into play when looking into schools, and it’s up to you which ones matter most. This is very dependent on personal preference, so put some thought into what you want to get out of your college experience and what you expect of your school. We’ve also detailed a few major considerations here:

When looking at the cost of any school, you need to plan for more than just tuition. You’ll likely have to find textbooks and class materials for each class at the start of every semester. Room and board is another expense, especially if you have to travel a long distance to campus. For off-campus living, consider rent, food, and utilities. Even living at home comes with the cost of commuting, whether that means maintaining a car or buying a bus pass.

Racial justice has come to the forefront of the country’s conversation this summer, and many colleges were involved with or funded by the slave trade. Look into what they have done to address and examine this history, including whether they have added an ethnic studies requirements, begun reparations for past slave trade involvement, or made other steps towards racial justice.

There is also the question of the support available for low-income, first-generation, BIPOC, LGBTQ, and female students on campus. First-Gen Forward recognizes colleges every year for their commitment to first-generation student success. This list of the schools that provide the best support for ethnic minorities was just published. Campus Pride Index rates schools’ LGBTQ-friendliness based on a variety of factors such as policy inclusion and campus safety. See if there are centers or organizations where students can find a community and access resources. Look at the diversity of the student body, faculty, and college leadership. Research how the school has responded to any reported acts of racism, homophobia, transphobia, or sexism on campus.

COVID-19 is another major topic, and you can learn a lot from the way colleges are handling outbreaks. Research the school’s procedures and policies and determine whether you would feel safe living on campus and confident in the school’s ability to care for you if you contracted the virus. Depending on your timeline, you might not be attending college during the pandemic, but the school’s response to the crisis can still give you insight into how seriously they take the health and safety of their students, faculty, and staff.

If you want to go to a community college, you need to find out whether you can work in your intended field with a 2-year degree or whether you need to get a 4-year degree as well, in addition to any licenses or certificates required. If you need a 4-year degree, check for articulation agreements with nearby 4-year universities. These tend to be on a state level, and you can find the community colleges in your state on this list. Also, many community colleges don’t have dorms, so you’ll need to commute or move closer to campus.

4. Make Your 2 x 2 x 1 List

Once you’ve narrowed down a list of schools you’re interested in, it’s time to find their admissions statistics. You can use tools like BigFuture or College Scorecard to find the average GPA, SAT score, ACT score, and class rank percentage of their admitted students. Once you have that information, decide on at least 2 dream schools, 2 match schools, and 1 safe school:

• Dream schools: these are schools where your GPA or test scores are lower than the average students accepted there. A strong personal recommendation or memorable essay can tip the scales in your favor, so put your best foot forward in your supplemental application material.
• Match schools: these are schools where the GPA and test scores of the average accepted student match yours so that you have a good chance — at least 50% — of getting in.
• Safe school: this is a school where your GPA and scores are better than the average accepted students’ and you’re almost guaranteed to get in. Since it’s entirely possible you won’t be accepted into the first four schools, your safe school will give you some peace of mind.

Compile all of this information in the chart below and keep it somewhere visible — on your desktop, in your locker, on the insert in your planner. Wherever you place it, make sure it’s somewhere you see every day so you have a reminder of what it takes to get into a school that will help you reach your long-term goals. When it comes time to apply, you’ll hopefully have more options and more flexibility come decision day.

5. Make a Plan and Reassess Frequently

Now that you’ve got five schools in mind, you need a plan to make it happen. This will depend a lot on your year in school, so see what’s recommended for your grade level. The younger you are, the more time you have to map out your classes, prepare for standardized tests, find extracurriculars that align with your interest, explore potential career opportunities, and ultimately find a school that fits your needs.

Each semester, look over your list and see if each school still aligns with your goals. Some of them might not survive your reevaluation, but don’t panic! Depending on when you made this list, you may have changed career goals, realized you have different preferences, or gotten a better SAT or ACT score. Whatever the reason, go back to the corresponding step, adjust your criteria accordingly, and update your list.

This writeup was inspired by our workbook #GOALS: How Today’s Teens Can Achieve More By Taking Control of Their Education