Using CollegeSimply.com for College Research

Hello everybody, I'm a junior starting to get into the swing of college research. I've heard of collegesimply.com as a tool to compare colleges and to scope my chances. Has anyone used this? Could you share your experiences with the website and mention if there are any alternatives? Thanks a bunch!

So you're starting your college research, which is an exciting step on your journey! I've heard quite a few students use collegesimply.com as part of their research. As with any tool, you'll want to take into consideration that the material and statistics provided are likely using older data, won't perfectly reflect the exact current conditions at each school, and that they may not have a complete picture of every factor the colleges themselves consider. That's to say, it's a good starting point, but you should combine it with other sources for a clearer, more holistic view.

Also, remember to not fully rely on the admission chances presented by such platforms. These are to give you an idea based on quantitative metrics but real-life admissions take many qualitative aspects into consideration that these platforms can't accurately predict.

As for alternatives, I'd recommend CollegeVine. Their platform has a variety of useful tools, including a chancing engine that can give you a sense of your admission chances to various colleges depending on your profile. What sets CollegeVine apart is that it doesn’t just use stats for its predictions, but it also takes into account more nuanced factors like extracurricular activities and intended major, which can help you get a more comprehensive and personalized understanding of your chances.

Another interesting tool from CollegeVine is the College List feature. It helps you to build a balanced college list, with reach, target, and likely schools, based on your specific profile and preferences for college characteristics like size, location, and majors.

So while I don't have personal experiences with each of these tools, both these sites come up frequently in conversations with students because they offer complimentary perspectives. Good luck with your research!