Methodology
Last updated: April 2026
Matching & preferences
Matching is how we connect what you care about to the same mixed picture we describe under Our Data: federal facts, campus context, and what life around the school is actually like.
How your preferences map to schools
When you move the Research priorities, we compare those weights to precomputed category scores. Right now Campus Events and Student Organizations are temporarily locked (coming soon) and do not change match %; Academic Programs, Housing & Dining, Night Life, and Campus Culture do. Nothing in that step is a prediction of admission or happiness; it is a structured way to say, "given what this school looks like in the data, how well does it line up with what you said matters?"
Affordability, earnings, and program-mix signals feed the Academic Programs category score during batch scoring (see Our Data). Match % is the weighted average of the active category scores only—categories without enough evidence stay out of the formula rather than inventing a mid-point.
A higher match percentage means stronger alignment on the dimensions we model, not that a school is "better" in any absolute sense. Campus visits, counselors, and your own gut still belong in the decision.
Natural language search
When you type in plain English, we use generative AI to translate your words into filters and intent so the product can respond the way you naturally ask. The facts and figures on a school page still come from our aggregated data, not from the model making up statistics. Think of it as an interpreter between how you speak and how the database is organized.
Rankings
When you search or browse, we order results so that what you actually asked for comes first: your filters, location, and the intent behind your query, not a hidden "prestige" score. Rankings here are a way to surface relevant schools, not to crown a single best college for everyone.
After we respect your criteria, we may use secondary signals, such as enrollment scale or how often people look for a school, to break ties or help discovery. Those signals are practical ordering aids; they are not a verdict on institutional quality, and they never replace the federal and campus-life data you see on each profile.
We refine how lists are built as we add data and hear from students. If something feels off for your search, that is useful feedback: the goal is always to make the order feel fair to the question you asked.
Our Data
Upgraded aggregates data from dozens of sources to give you an honest, complete picture of campus life.
Official & federal sources
Core institutional data (enrollment figures, graduation rates, financial aid, tuition, and academic outcomes) is sourced directly from the federal government. These include the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System), and local demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau. These sources are updated annually and represent the most authoritative available data on higher education institutions.
Campus life & culture
To capture what student life actually looks like day-to-day, we analyze publicly available social media activity from student organizations, student sentiment from online communities, and professor quality signals from aggregated review platforms. Greek life participation rates are sourced from the College Transitions Dataverse. Campus news and events are pulled from official university websites and regional news sources. Athletic schedules and campus event data are sourced directly from official university athletics departments and event calendars.
Location & surroundings
Walkability and transit scores are powered by Walk Score®. Nearby points of interest (restaurants, cafes, parks, and public transit access) are sourced from location data providers within a one-mile radius of each campus.
Coverage & freshness
Not every field is available for every school, and sources refresh on different schedules. We update our pipeline as new releases land; until then, some rows may lag the latest federal filing or campus announcement. Use what you see here as a strong starting point. Then confirm details that matter most to you with the school directly.