College Research Resources

Creating your college list takes time and lots of research. These resources are easy to use and provide great information.

The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is an agreement among WICHE’s 16 member states and territories, through which 160+ participating public colleges and universities provide steep nonresident tuition savings for Western students.

Through WUE, eligible students can choose from hundreds of undergraduate programs outside their home state, and pay no more than 150 percent of that institution’s resident tuition rate.

Since full nonresident college-tuition rates may exceed 300 percent of resident rates, WUE increases affordable higher-education choices for students, and minimizes the adverse impacts of student loan debt.

  1. Create your profile (GPA, ACT/SAT, AP & Honors classes, activities, sports)

  2. Add colleges to your LOCKER

  3. Filter your chances of getting accepted via SCATTERGRAM of actual students who applied

  4. Compare college costs between schools according to your EFC from the FAFSA.

  5. Search by graduation rates and percentage of financial need met.

  6. Keep track of DUE DATES


**MEMBER of NACAC: National Association for College Admission Counseling
Find out about colleges: their programs, costs, admissions, results, and more.
Search by GPA (will filter the best schools for your GPA), SAT/ACT, state, top ranked, highest acceptance, lowest acceptance rates, application deadlines.
Determine where you fit in the 75th percentile.
Median student loan debt for graduates, % of students receiving federal loans, median loan payment, and % actively repaying their loans VS. the national average
The Best Colleges ranking is based on rigorous analysis of academic, admissions, financial, and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education along with millions of reviews from students and alumni. The ranking compares more than 1,000 top colleges and universities in the U.S
Explore the colleges that are the best value for your money based on net price, alumni earnings, graduation rates, and student debt using data from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews. The ranking compares the most affordable colleges with the best return on investment. Many more "Best of" Lists.

Collegexpress

Need to create an account to search.

Search Lists and Rankings by Categories: 19 admissions factors in order of importance. Other lists: Hidden Gems, College Costs, Helpful Stuff.

Clearly states admissions criteria and cost. Summary of each school is easy to read.

College results

Compare multiple schools.

Most detailed search criteria including graduation rates, % of Pell Grant, average price after grants.

Advanced search tab allows for most detailed search.

Will flag schools that are “Engines of Inequality”

SCHOLAR MATCHER

ScholarMatcher™ is a free college search tool designed to assist prospective college students from households earning less than $50,000 per year with their college search.

After measuring more than 1400 schools, we discovered the 375 colleges that offer superior resources, support, and outcomes for low-income and first-generation youth.

If you enjoy listening to podcasts::

Let a college admission expert (Mark) and a mom who's been through the process (Anika) guide you through the college admission process. Learn key strategies and hear true stories on topics ranging from building the right college list, getting admitted to the colleges on your list; how to pay for college, and even choosing the right career. Each week, in order, we will discuss a hot college admissions article; we will shares insights from the college admission book, "171 Answers: To The Most-Asked College Admission Questions"

Created by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, every episode insiders from the world of admissions break down the facts, myths, and rules of engagement for today's college landscape.

Kat Clowes, CEO and Founder of March Consulting, shares college and career strategies for students and parents. Find your path through the "right" college and into a career you'll love. Discover what you should be doing in high school and college to make the most of your tuition dollars, while approaching your career in an entirely new way...

Looking for a school where you can continue to play your sport?

NAIA

NAIA consists of 300 schools and 13 sports. The NAIA is a smaller association than the NCAA, with just over 60,000 students. Over 90% of schools in the NAIA offer scholarships, and NAIA athletes receive an average of $7,000 of financial aid.

NCAA

NCAA is the governing body for around 1200 schools. It consists of three divisions (Division I, II, and III) and oversees 23 sports. Divisions I and II both offer athletic scholarships, with over 126,000 student-athletes receiving partial or full. However, Division III student-athletes can only receive academic or non-athletic scholarships – no athletic scholarships are allowed. Each year, the NCAA hands out about $1 billion in athletic scholarships, with the rest coming from the individual school.