Regarding college admissions, safety, reach, and target schools are commonly used to describe different types of institutions based on their level of competitiveness. Safety schools are those where a student's academic credentials and other qualifications exceed the average for admitted students, making admission more likely. Target schools are those where a student's credentials are on par with the average for admitted students, making admission a realistic possibility. Reach schools are those where a student's credentials fall below the average for admitted students, making admission less likely but still possible. Students need to apply to a mix of all three types of schools to maximize their chances of acceptance.