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Crafting Your College List for Admissions Success

September 17, 2025 at 8:00 PM ET

Choosing the right mix of colleges is one of the most important steps in the admissions process. A well-thought-out college list can open doors to exciting opportunities, reduce application stress, and increase your chances of acceptance.

In this webinar, high school students and their parents will learn from former admissions officer Dr. Aya Waller-Bey about how to create a balanced, personalized list of schools that align with academic goals, interests, and future aspirations.

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Key takeaways from this session include:

Understanding the different categories of schools: reach, target, and safety

Identifying the academic, social, and financial factors that should guide your choices

Using reliable data sources to evaluate acceptance rates, majors, and campus culture

Balancing aspiration with realism to maximize both opportunity and affordability

Tips for avoiding common mistakes when building your list

How to adjust and refine your list as you progress through the application process

Whether you are just starting to think about college or refining a final list, this session will equip you with the tools and insights to make informed, confident decisions.

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Meet the speaker:

Aya Waller-Bey

Former Admissions Officer

I am a proud first-generation college student passionate about college admissions and higher education, hailing from Detroit, MI. I earned my B.A. in Sociology from Georgetown University and joined the Office of Undergraduate Admissions shortly after. I then earned my MPhil in Education at the University of Cambridge as a recipient of the Gates Cambridge Scholarship. I have over eight years of college admissions, advising, and college interview experience. Currently, I am researching college admissions as a doctoral candidate at the University of Michigan!