COLLEGE NAVIGATOR helps teens explore schools and prepare for life after high school.
Created by the Institute of Education Sciences, this U.S. government website takes young adults step-by-step through the process of finding a college. Search options include finding schools by name, state, distance from home, program, academic level, institution type, and more. An interactive map helps users see school locations. Students can create lists of favorite schools, do side-by-side comparisons, download results on a spreadsheet, and even save searches.
Each college entry contains general information (i.e., map, website link, offerings, demographics) along with costs, financial aid, enrollment, admissions, retention and graduation rates, programs, and other useful information.
In addition to the database of schools, the website contains links to many other online government resources. The College Affordability and Transparency Center helps teens compare the price of tuition and fees. Other resources include information about preparing for post-high school education, financial aid, and career exploration.
Librarians will find this easy-to-use website helpful in assisting students with locating college information. While many commercial websites are filled with sponsored ads and possible bias, this government website contains nicely presented factual information presented in alphabetical order. It’s easy for students to get overload with the information found at college websites. This tool makes it simple for students to locate and compare information.
To visit the website, go to http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/.
