Contributed by Lindsay Shugerman, Catalogs.com Top 10 Guru
It’s hard to believe that high school is almost behind you, but it’s true. And that means it’s time to choose a college. But there are thousands of colleges and universities out there, and hundreds of college search sites. And your mailbox is bursting with new college catalogs every day. So where do you start?
Lucky for you, we have done the groundwork for you. So here are the top 10 college search sites to help you make that big decision.
10. Google!
If you’re looking for an online college or university, Google is a great place to start. Search by location, degree level, major or subject, or check on accreditation, all from the most obvious page.
9. Colleges.com
While the colleges.com site looks a bit cluttered, students looking for information about graduate school or specialty schools like art or nursing will find useful information here that’s missing on some other sites. Searchers who get too many results the first time can narrow searches with filters … a great way to quickly narrow the field.
8. GoFindColleges.com
This site starts out with a very basic search, providing only college name, location and size, but a couple of clicks take searchers into the kind of detailed information they need. The best feature is a cost breakdown for each school, showing tuition, living expenses and other costs, making the true financial picture easier to see.
7. 50States.com
Unlike some college search sites, this one offers a mix of traditional and online college options for each search. If you’re uncertain whether you want to take your classes on campus or online, this is a great place to start the search.
6. Scholarships.com
A bit more limited in the depth of the search, this site redeems itself with its wonderful chart allowing students to compare costs for schools in a state and/or major on one page. And as the name of the site suggests, they offer lots of useful information and links to help students and parents pay for college.
5. CollegeNet.com
This college search site offers all the standard searches by location or major. But they also offer online applications for over 1,500 schools, with the option to enter information just once and have it populate multiple college applications.
4. CollegeData.com
If you’re trying to find a college that offers a very specific major, this is the winner among college search sites for you. Unlike other sites that stop with general major groups, this site lets you drill down to find the exact major you’re hoping to find.
3. Petersons.com
Signing up for a free membership in this site will let students choose colleges that match their preferences for everything from athletics to religion. Nonmembers can search by location and a few other criterion.
2. The College Board
Best known for bringing students the wonderful experience called the SAT, this college search site also helps prospective college students find a school that is the right size, style and cost for their needs.
1. CampusCorner.com
This easy to use site provides would-be students with tons of important information about colleges including costs, culture, admission standards, campus diversity and demographics. There’s even a map to show prospective students exactly where the school is located.