College Navigator (U.S. Dept. of Education)

All U.S. accredited colleges & universities

Official government data, highly accurate, no ads

By program/major, location, size, tuition, degree level

Graduation rates, financial aid stats, campus safety info, downloadable data

BigFuture (College Board)

U.S. & some international schools

Student-friendly layout, career exploration tools

By major, location, admission difficulty, diversity, cost

Scholarship database, career quizzes, step-by-step planning

Niche Colleges

U.S. colleges

Student reviews & ratings, lifestyle info

By major, location, SAT/ACT, acceptance rate, athletics

Rankings by category, student-life grades, photos, videos

Peterson’s

U.S. & international

Covers undergrad, grad, online, and military schools

By program type, degree level, location

Test prep resources, career info, military school listings

U.S. News Best Colleges

Primarily U.S.

Highly known rankings & prestige data

By major/program, region, cost

National & regional rankings, advice articles, historical data

U.S. News Best Colleges

Gather what you’ll need 

Before you get ready to start your college application on ApplyTexas, make sure you’ve gathered all the information you’ll need ahead of time. 

Gathering the information in this checklist before beginning an admission application will simplify the process. 

• Personal information: Social Security number (if applicable), permanent mailing address, city/state/country of birth, phone number, emergency contact information 

• High school information: Beginning and ending dates for high school and previous college or university you’ve attended, if applicable 

• Extracurricular information: Details of any extracurricular or volunteer activities and talents, awards, and honors, including dates, description, place of service, and positions held 

• Test information: Month and year for any official test taken or planned, including ACT, SATⓇ, TOEFL, and IELTS 

• Senior-year coursework: If you’re applying as a US college freshman, the titles and credit values of high school courses you’re currently taking and will take during your senior year 

• Previous college credit: The titles, numbers, and credit values of college courses you’re taking or will take before enrolling at the school you apply to (for dual credit, transfer, readmission, and graduate student applicants) 

Read more: What you’ll need to apply to college