The Best College Search and Information Resources

Are you interested in researching colleges but not sure where to start? Take a look at the guide below for where to look (and not look) to find out more about the colleges that might be a good fit for you or your student.

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There are thousands of colleges out there, but thankfully there are also all kinds of ways to research and discover which ones might be a good fit for you. Below are some of the most common ways to research and narrow down a list of possible college options.

Online resources – This is where most people start. There are countless websites, search engines and apps that allow you to research colleges based on all kinds of factors, including academic rigor, size, location, price and much more. Some even allow you to create a personal account to save and modify your choices. Here are some of the best and most well known:

The Common App’s Explore page - www.commonapp.org/explore/

The National Center for Education Statistics’ College Navigator page: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

Princeton Review’s College Search - www.princetonreview.com/college-search

Niche - www.niche.com/colleges/search/best-colleges/

Unigo - www.unigo.com/colleges

USNews Best Colleges - www.usnews.com/best-colleges

Top College Consultants’ Free Resources (for students with learning differences) - www.topcollegeconsultants.com/freeresources/

College Websites – It’s always a good idea to research the website for a specific college that you’re interested in. You will find all kinds of information there like school programs and course offerings, unique opportunities, application information, price breakdowns and student testimonials.

School Counselors – Your school counselor can be one of the best resources to talk to. They know you well and are probably familiar with the types of colleges that could be a good fit for you. They can also point you to lots of resources they have access to, like college guides or other college search resources.

College Consultants - Sometimes called Independent Educational Consultants (IECs), college consultants can be an excellent resource to help you find colleges or other programs that might be a good fit for you and help you apply. They are, however, often quite expensive.

College Guides – Companies like The Princeton Review and Fiske make excellent college guides, literally encyclopedias of most colleges that exist, detailing all the important and relevant information for each.

College Fairs – College fairs, large events where dozens of college admissions representatives come to share information about their schools, are a great way to learn about colleges, especially ones local to you. Many high schools will host college fairs during the year, and sometimes other organizations will have them too. High schools may also invite representatives from individual colleges to visit or host virtual meetings throughout the year instead of all at once at a college fair.

A note about “word of mouth” - Take any information or advice you get from friends, family members, fellow students, neighbors, and others with a grain of salt. They likely mean well, but their information is usually anecdotal, and if they’re not professionals it may be unreliable, misleading or simply incorrect.