Find Your Perfect College Match

Take The College Match Quiz

What to Look for in your College Search?

Finding a college is a personal journey that takes a bit of reflecting on what matters to you. Academics is an important factor to consider. But campus size, location, financial aid, cost and others may influence your college decision. Our college match quiz could help you answer “what college should I go?” Keeping that in mind, there are a few general factors that may help you in your college search.

  1. Choice of majors, minors as they relate to your goals and interests
  2. Cost, financial and affordability
  3. Location and distance from home 
  4. Campus Size: small liberal arts vs large sprawling campus
  5. Campus community and social life 
  1. Extracurriculars like clubs, athletics, and Greek life. 
  2. Student support services (health, career, tutors)
  3. Diversity on campus
  4. Chances of being admitted

 

Why Should I Take the College Match Quiz?

Taking the College Match Quiz may help you find the perfect college for you. Many high school students wonder, “which college should I go to?’’ or “where should I go to college”? If this sounds familiar, the college match quiz offers a way to find out.

There are over 8,000 colleges, universities and trade schools in the US. Choosing one may take lots of time and energy. The good news is the college quiz filters schools for you. It also suggests potential colleges to apply to based on your input. Not only does this take some of the stress away, it may also save you money.

Finding your perfect college may help you to graduate and thrive too. Many people lose interest when the college doesn’t end up suiting their style. Studies by the NCES show that only 6 out of 10 students in public colleges graduate. And, most (62%) take up to six years to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Don’t worry, there are no right or wrong answers! But the success of the quiz relies on your honesty.

Here are 6 helpful things to consider before taking the quiz.

  1. Narrow down the field(s) you want to study – STEM, business, fine arts, liberal arts etc.
  2. Assess how far away or close you want college to be from home
  3. Know if you prefer a small, medium or large college
  4. Figure out what kind of degree you need (two year, four year, career school)
  5. Decide if you need a full time, part time or online format
  6. Have your GPA, ACT or SAT scores on hand as the college application process and criteria vary from one to the next

How Does the College Quiz Find Your Perfect Match?

The College Match Quiz helps you narrow college choices through an algorithm. It is a model that research scientists created to predict your perfect schools. It could help you figure which colleges you should apply to. You will answer questions related to three main areas: major, location and fit.

MAJOR
These questions figure out which schools in the United States offer your intended major and area of interest. It may find schools as far apart as New York and Los Angeles.

LOCATION
This part asks which regions you’d consider. If you prefer to stay local, it asks what you feel an acceptable distance from home is.

FIT
Making sure the school fits your needs and wants.

  1. School Structure: size, type (public four year college, nonprofit / for profit private, trade, community college) and ratio of full time enrollment to part time students
  2. Admissibility: about college admissions and your odds of getting into a school based on your grades and how selective colleges are
  3. Intrinsic: your personality traits that help you stay motivated, learn and grow. 

How to Read Your Quiz Results?

The College Match Quiz yields a list of college options for you. Ranked by how well they match your data, the list blends a Fit score and Return on Education score.

Fit Score: It gives a 30% weight to structure, 30% weight to admissibility and 40% to intrinsic. This part matches schools with your preferences. So, it is all about location, number of students, interests and learning style. Measured on a 0% to 100% scale, strong fits scores are those in the 80% to 90% range.

Return on Education (ROE) score: To get the ROE, the list pulls in the net costs of the schools. Net cost equals (tuition + fees) – (average grants/scholarships) * by (percent of students who receive grants/scholarships).

Then, balances it with PayScale data. PayScale data relates to (earnings of a college grad) minus (earnings of a high school grad). The final number is an annual rate of return percent. High ROE’s are in the 8% to 11% range.

Each school on the list has your match score in a thumbs up. Ranging from 1 to 5, the more thumbs up you see, the better the school matches your answers. In other words, the perfect colleges for you are those that get the most thumbs up.

There is also a button where you can see reviews and ratings of each school. Plus, other details to make it easier for you to decide on the perfect college. You may also be able to sort through the results on the list. Filter by Match Score, or by cost for a very streamlined college search process.

Phone Demo

What’s Next after Finding Your College Match?

Now that you have your list of college matches, there are a few next steps. After all, college is a big investment of time and money. The first step is to do your own research. Look up student reviews and see if you like what they are saying about the school.

While you are online, you could also take a virtual tour of the college. It can save you a trip and gives you an idea of the campus, services and vibe from afar. Keep in mind, gaining admission to any specific school is not guaranteed. This means you should apply to a few schools. You may improve your odds of admission in a school you’re interested in.

Some of these can be safety schools, where you think you have a good chance of getting in. Others can be target or dream colleges. Many college students also find that submitting the Common App makes it easier to apply to multiple schools.

Fill out the FAFSA to know how much federal aid you qualify for. If you get into multiple schools, you compare each one’s financial aid packages. Many eligible middle and low income students use financial aid awards to offset the cost of college. 

Schools may also offer different scholarships based on either merit or financial need. Depending on what a school offers you, a more expensive school on your list may become more affordable. In some schools they may automatically consider you for their merit scholarships.

Overall, the College Match Quiz is a college finder tool and you may wish to consult a college counselor when you start applying. This could help you make an informed choice about which school may be your perfect match.

START COLLEGE MATCH

Financial aid may be available to those who qualify. The information on this site is for informational and research purposes only and is not an assurance of financial aid.

Privacy Policy   |    Terms of Use   |    FAQs   |    About Us   |    Disclosure: “What Determines Top/Best?”    |    Do Not Sell My Personal Information (CA and NV residents)

Disclosure: Unigo LLC. receives compensation for the featured schools on our websites (see “Sponsored Schools” or “Sponsored Listings” or “Sponsored Results”). So what does this mean for you? Compensation may impact where the Sponsored Schools appear on our websites, including whether they appear as a match through our education matching services tool, the order in which they appear in a listing, and/or their ranking. Our websites do not provide, nor are they intended to provide, a comprehensive list of all schools (a) in the United States (b) located in a specific geographic area or (c) that offer a particular program of study. By providing information or agreeing to be contacted by a Sponsored School, you are in no way obligated to apply to or enroll with the school.

The sources for school statistics and data is the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.

This is an offer for educational opportunities that may lead to employment and not an offer for nor a guarantee of employment. Students should consult with a representative from the school they select to learn more about career opportunities in that field. Program outcomes vary according to each institution’s specific program curriculum.

×

Sponsored Meaning Explained