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Explore Colleges
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- The Facts on Fit
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Explore Colleges

How do you find the right colleges for you? Explore Colleges can guide you through the college search process. Find colleges that are a good fit for you, develop your college search strategy, and explore colleges with College Match.

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Expert Advice

The Road to College The Facts on Fit Explore Your Options

As you begin to think seriously about college, it will help to understand why you are going to college, the milestones along the way, and what it will be like when you get there.

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To find colleges that are a good fit, you need to learn about the factors that can influence your experience in and out of the classroom. Develop your personal list of college search criteria to find the best colleges for you.

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A better search strategy will give you better results! Whether you want information about colleges you think are a good fit, or you want to find new colleges that are right for you, we have the tips to get you started and the tools to finish the job.

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Tools

COLLEGE MATCH

Use the College Match college search engine to find the right colleges for you.
Prepare & Apply
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Prepare & Apply

To successfully apply and get into college, you need to know what colleges are looking for. Prepare & Apply can help you improve your college admission chances and develop your strategy to become the ideal applicant.

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Expert Advice

Strengthen Your Chances Apply Yourself

Learn about the qualities colleges value, how to strengthen your preparation, plus everything you need to know about the PSAT, SAT, and ACT.

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When you apply to college, planning and attention to detail really matter! Check out our advice on getting organized, how to make your college applications stand out, and what to do when decisions arrive.

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Tools

COLLEGE CHANCES

Will you get in? Find out! Estimate your admission chances at any college and see how to improve your odds.

ADMISSIONS TRACKER

See who got in, who's applying, and how you compare! Get an inside look at real student profiles and decisions.

COVID-19 RESOURCES

For COVID-19 resources for college and college bound students, see here.

COVID-19 Resources

Guides

THE COMMON APPLICATION

Our at-a-glance guide makes it easy to see the colleges that accept the Common Application, plus deadlines, fees, and supplements required.

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Pay Your Way
- Tools
- Compare Awards
- Financial Aid Tracker
- EFC Calculator
- Scholarship Finder
- Net Price Calculator
- Featured Articles
- College Sticker Shock
- All About Financial Aid
- Paying for College
- Scholarship Smarts
Pay Your Way

Pay Your Way has advice to help you pay for college and get more financial aid. Use the EFC and Net Price calculators to estimate your financial aid and college costs. Use the Compare Awards tool to see which college offers the best deal.

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Expert Advice

College Sticker Shock All About Financial Aid Paying for College Scholarship Smarts

Tuition is only part of the cost of college. Learn about the other expenses, why it's important to look past the "sticker" price, and how to find financially friendly colleges and get merit aid.

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Get the facts on college financial aid, including how to qualify, how to apply, how to get the most aid, and how to analyze your awards.

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Learn about short- and long-term strategies to pay for college and how financial aid fits in.

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Scholarships are not just about academics. Learn how to find scholarships you are eligible for, create winning scholarship applications, and watch out for scholarships scams.

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Tools

COMPARE AWARDS

Which financial aid award is best? See which college offers the best deal and why.

FINANCIAL AID TRACKER

Who's getting financial aid and how do you compare? View real financial aid awards and see how much students like you received at any college.

EFC CALCULATOR

Calculate your Expected Family Contribution to see how much colleges expect you to pay.

SCHOLARSHIP FINDER

Find money for college! Search 595,000 awards worth more than $4.5 billion.

NET PRICE CALCULATOR

What will college really cost? Uncover your true out-of-pocket cost to attend any college.
College Buzz
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College Buzz

Check out College Buzz for personal stories of students on the road to college, plus tips on transferring, studying abroad, and managing your money, your time and your life once you get to college!

Click here to College Buzz

Expert Advice

Money Matters Campus Life Transfer Students Study Abroad During College

To live well at college, you'll need to manage your money wisely. Find out how, including ways to spend less and manage debt, plus everything you need to know about banking options for students.

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There's a lot more to college than classes. Learn more about exploring opportunities outside of the classroom, staying on track, and living in the dorm.

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Changing colleges is a big decision! Find out how to decide, what you need to know to apply and pay for college as a transfer, and how to get a good start at your new school.

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Study abroad programs are not all created equal. Here are tips for finding the right colleges with the right programs.

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True Stories from Students on the Road to College

Real life happens here! See what real students have to say about the ups and downs of getting into college and what college life is like.

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Resources for Counselors

CollegeData is committed to helping students and families make the right decisions about college, just like you.

Counselor Portal
Blog
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- Getting In
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CollegeData Blog

Check out CollegeData’s Blog for all things “college life,” including tips on how to balance your academic and social life, manage your money wisely, and navigate the ups and downs college admissions, and engaging, informative quizzes to help you prepare, apply, and pay for college!

Click here to CollegeData Blog

Expert Advice

Campus Life Money Matters Getting In Study Break

Academics are important, but college is also about learning to find a balance between your academic and social life, and exploring opportunities to learn and grow beyond the classroom.

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Along with all the new responsibilities (and freedom!) you'll have as a college student, you'll need to keep track of your college money and learn how to manage your money wisely.

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What are my college chances? Will I be accepted, waitlisted, deferred, or denied? What’s it REALLY like to apply to college? Learn how to navigate the twists and turns of the college application process.

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Depending on the college major you choose, school work can be time-consuming and challenging. Taking a break from your studies may help alleviate stress and make college more enjoyable and balanced.

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NEWS FROM CAMPUS

What’s happening on real college campuses? Check out “News from Campus,” featuring current events and fascinating stories from college and university publications around the U.S.!

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Financial Aid Tracker
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Financial Aid Tracker

"I wanted to attend college but wasn't sure if I could afford it. Financial Aid Tracker showed me what other students were offered in merit aid and what I might qualify for."

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How much financial aid can you expect? View thousands of real student financial aid awards and see how much students just like you received at any college.

Select a college and see real financial aid awards students received.

The cost of college depends on two things -- the school's "sticker price" and how much of it will be offset by financial aid. With the Financial Aid Tracker, you can see actual financial aid awards that students similar to you received. Will you get merit aid? See how your GPA and test scores stack up against students who did. What about need-based aid like grants and loans? You can see how much students with EFCs like yours received. Add your own profile and compare yourself at any school.

View Tracker Profiles for an in-depth look at students' qualifications and financial aid awards.

Why do students receive different financial aid awards? It's not always easy to tell, but Tracker Profiles help you see what might have factored into those decisions. In addition to financial aid details, each profile also contains information about the student's college choices, academic qualifications, extracurriculars, admissions decisions, and more. Tracker Profiles are anonymous, so you won't know whose profile you're viewing (and no one else will know they're viewing yours).