Putting the Cart Before the Horse in the College Application Process
                     Putting the Cart Before the 
Horse in the College 
Application Process
Putting the Cart Before the Horse in the College Application Process -- The Dos and 
Don'ts When Deciding Which Universities You Should Apply To
I can already hear you asking, “So, Jesse, what the heck do carts and horses have to do 
with college admissions?”
Well, in a figurative sense, when a college-bound high school student puts the cart before 
the horse, they have built a list of schools that they intend on applying to based on certain 
superficial factors, such as name recognition, national college ranking, where their 
friends are applying, where their parents want them to go, etc.
The student has not taken the time to sit down and earnestly think about what
elements of a university experience are necessary to make the experience meaningful to 
them personally. When students build their college application list in this counterintuitive 
way, they often find themselves uninspired about the schools they are
applying to. Some students even find that the school they ultimately choose to attend is a 
poor fit for them.
So, as you embark on your college application journey, my suggestion to you is to spend 
some time putting the proverbial horse before the cart. Start by asking yourself the 
following questions:
Who are you?
(Think of all of the things that make you you!)
What are you about?
(What are you passionate about, and what inspires and motivates you? Think of the things 
that get you out of bed in the morning…The things that really excite you at the core.)
Which life experiences have had a profound impact on you?
(These could be “big” things like a massive accomplishment or the loss of an important 
loved one, or seemingly “smaller” things like a specific conversation you had with your 
best friend or even a childhood memory.)
What are you looking for in a university that would make it a good fit for you? (Think 
academics, extracurriculars, social involvement, community involvement, values, tuition, 
culture, geographic location, etc.)
What will a successful and meaningful college experience look like for you? (Maybe it’s 
being around like-minded individuals, forming relationships with inspirational professors, 
building a network of life-long friends and professional connections, or even personal 
growth.)
Once you have reflected on these questions and the picture starts to become clearer, you 
are now ready to take the next step – identifying the universities that are going to fit your 
personality and needs. These are the schools that should find their way onto your college 
application list because they are the schools that fit you and that you have a genuine 
interest in attending if you are accepted.
Now, I am not saying that parents or family members, school counselors, friends, and the 
like should not be a part of contributing to your list of schools. I just believe that this is 
how the process should begin. These trusted members of your “team” can be consulted 
and provide their support once you complete these initial steps of the process.
Over the years, I have personally worked with students who applied this “horse before the 
cart” approach and ultimately attended schools that truly fit them, providing the ideal 
setting for them to thrive as individuals. At Gramma’s Jam (www.grammasjam.com), the 
first module of our online course focuses specifically
on this critical process, guiding students to take a deeper dive into this approach and 
providing important tools, such as a detailed college application spreadsheet, that can be 
utilized in their process.
I bet you would have never thought you would have such a good understanding of what it 
means to “put the horse before the cart” in the college application process, eh? Now that 
you do, go forth and put together a carefully crafted college application list tailored to the 
one-and-only you. Good luck. I’ll be rooting for you!