In your quest to find the perfect university for you, you’ll need to do more than just look at rankings and university websites. Take a look at these awesome websites for college research. They can help give you insight into the process, estimate your chances of getting in, and let you know what current students think about the university.
1. Common Application
The Common App website is a great resource for students applying to one of the more than 450 universities and colleges that use the Common Application. A useful aspect of the site that people often overlook is the College Search. In a few clicks, you can search for more universities accepting the Common App based on location, deadline, and major as well as see a quick profile of their requirements. You can even request an application and SAT fee waivers.
2. EducationUSA
EducationUSA is a government-sponsored U.S.-based organization with a mission to help international students interested in studying in America. Their site has a lot of great advice and information about the overall process to help you define your education goals and understand general requirements.
3. Facebook (for college research)
Facebook for college research? Just about every university now has an official Facebook page. Many admissions departments maintain separate sites, as well, to keep prospective students interested in and informed about the admissions process. You don’t have to become the admissions department’s fan on Facebook; just check it periodically to see if anything interesting gets posted.
4. College Board
The College Board, administers of the SAT, have completely revamped their website to provide students with more information about college. The site features a great CollegeMatchMaker (a nice starting point for shortlists) and allows you to save your list so you can receive updates from the university or track the application process. There are also helpful essay writing tips and, of course, you can register for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests.
5. Cappex
Cappex is a typical college research website with one amazing added feature: you can see admission scatter plots. What is this and why is this important you ask?
The Cappex scatter plot at the left includes information submitted by students who were accepted, denied, or waitlisted based on two critical numbers: grade point average (GPA) and SAT score. While there are a number of factors that influence the admissions process, you can see the trends and think about where you might fall.
6. College Prowler
This site is probably the most all-inclusive of awesome college research websites. It includes a college search, articles on applying, and the Cappex scatter plot for various universities. It’s absolutely most important features are the grades and reviews given in many different categories by current and former students. You can learn exactly what they thought. It’s like TripAdvisor for universities!
Now that you know which sites to use, go get your college research on!
