College Admissions Bingo: Why Your Strategy Matters More Than Your Luck
On the occasional Sunday evening, I find myself wandering into a local Bingo Hall—a place I genuinely did not realize still existed until a friend dragged me along. It is a world of its own. Cultures mingle, conversations float, and every head lifts the moment the loud, booming caller announces a number that might—just might—free someone from their doldrums and send them home $300 or $3,000 richer.
I also didn’t expect the level of intensity. People roll in from near and far—young, old, clutching their cards like life preservers. Some track more Bingo boards in one round than I could manage in ten. Because their moment could be next. And by god, they will be ready.
And just when I think the nostalgia ends there—nope—enter through the smoking section to get to the non-smoking section. Consequences? Meh.
And yet, on one of these secondhand-smoke-infused evenings, it hit me: the way people play Bingo looks a whole lot like the way families approach the college admissions process.
Bingo vs. College Admissions: The Parallels Are Real
Students often build their college lists like Bingo boards.
“Sure, let’s add Brown! Indiana! Georgia Tech! Northeastern (or Northwestern, if you prefer). Why not Oberlin?”
What do these schools have in common?
They’re selective. Very selective.
And many students expect that because they’re A-students with leadership roles, honors, and accomplishments, admission is “fair game.”
After all, “It’s not fair if I don’t get in.”
But here’s the truth: Thousands of students are equally qualified. Thousands apply simply because they can. That doesn’t make it a strategy.
Just because you could put $600 toward Bingo cards to increase your chances at a $58,000 jackpot doesn’t mean you should.
Imagine a Different Board
What if your student’s college list looked like:
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Bradley
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Iona
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Northwestern (keep it!)
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Gonzaga
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University of Oklahoma – Boomer Sooner
Now we’re talking:
Public and private.
Selective and attainable.
Different regions. Different environments.
A list that allows a student to see diverse offerings—and fit.
Not every card in Bingo is the jackpot.
But sometimes the smaller win—four corners, a diagonal, a line—pays off much more quickly and much more meaningfully.
For me? I didn’t spend hundreds chasing the elusive pot.
But I did win $300—enough to buy the washer and dryer I desperately needed.
That win mattered.
“We’ll Figure Out Scholarships Later” Is Not a Strategy
It’s a recipe for family stress.
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Plan.
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Plan again.
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Do the research.
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Understand affordability early.
Because while a Top 20 name looks shiny on a résumé, that doesn’t mean it’s the right experience, the right debt, or the right launchpad for your teen.
What do I see consistently?
✔ Students applying to schools that don’t offer their major
✔ Students not attending information sessions
✔ Students not interviewing with admissions
✔ Students not researching curriculum, values, learning support, or outcomes
Why?
“They’re busy.”
But you know what else they’ll be busy with?
A school they selected based on name rather than fit.
Let’s Play College BINGO—But Strategically
B — Balanced list (reach, target, safety—real ones)
I — Information sessions (virtual counts!)
N — Net price calculator (don’t skip this)
G — GPA + Goals (does the program align with who your teen is?)
O — Orientation toward fit (culture, support, neurodiversity, campus vibe)
There are over 3,000 colleges in the U.S.—3,000 cards on the table.
Don’t stack the deck with only the shiny ones everyone else wants.
The goal isn’t to shout BINGO! first because you gambled big.
The goal is to walk away with a win that actually means something—for your student’s future, your family’s sanity, and your financial well-being.
Because the right college isn’t the most famous one.
It’s the one where your student thrives—not survives.
