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College advisor

How the college advisor works

The college advisor helps you build a balanced college list from your own grades, scores, home state and budget.

It sorts colleges into reach, target and likely. Those bands are planning labels, not predictions, and each one comes with its reason and where the numbers came from.

Ask it what fits, what is due next or how two colleges compare, and most answers come back instantly from the same engine that builds your list.

Watch the tour

Silent, with captions on screen. The sample students and colleges are fictional.

The steps, in words

  1. Start here asks four things: your year, a real test score, your home state and how you will pay for college.
  2. Build my list shows the colleges suggested for you in reach, target and likely bands, each with its reason.
  3. In the advisor, Find colleges that fit asks three quick taps: what matters most, a yearly cost ceiling and where.
  4. The answer lists picks by band with a one-line reason, your next steps and questions to talk through with a parent.
  5. Ask whether you will get in and the advisor gives the band and why, never a percentage.
  6. Ask for in-state colleges under a yearly cost and both limits apply.
  7. Compare puts two colleges side by side: band, estimated yearly cost and the reason.
  8. What's due next lists the deadlines for the colleges on your list.
  9. On Basic, an open question gets the nearest instant answer; written answers are part of Premium.
  10. On Premium, the what-if shows which saved colleges a higher score would move to another band.
  11. On the free glance, the advisor shows the best match in each band and says what Basic adds.

What each plan includes

The family's plan applies: a plan on the student's account or on a linked parent's opens the same college features.

College advisor features on each plan
FeatureFree glanceBasicPremium
Start here: your year, score, home state and how you will payIncludedIncludedIncluded
Browse every collegeIncludedIncludedIncluded
This guideIncludedIncludedIncluded
Every college suggested for you, by bandPreview: the best match in each bandIncludedIncluded
Saving colleges: My list, compare and balanceNot includedIncludedIncluded
The Apply tab: applications, deadlines and costNot includedIncludedIncluded
Every instant advisor answerFind colleges that fit: the best match in each bandIncludedIncluded
A linked parent's Colleges pageNot includedIncludedIncluded
Written answers to open questionsNot includedNot includedIncluded
Plain-words explanations of a collegeNot includedNot includedIncluded
What a higher score changesNot includedNot includedIncluded
Deadline reminder notifications and emailsNot includedNot includedIncluded
Calendar export of your deadlinesNot includedNot includedIncluded

Screen by screen

Each screen says which plan it was taken on. The students and colleges are fictional.

  1. Colleges sorted into bands

    The suggested colleges board with sample college cards grouped under reach, target and likely tabs.
    Shown on BasicSuggested colleges sit in reach, target and likely bands, each card with the reason behind its band.

  2. Three taps to start

    The advisor's three-question interview with answer buttons for priority, yearly cost and location.
    Shown on Free glanceFind colleges that fit asks what matters most, a yearly cost ceiling and where you want to study.

  3. Picks with a reason

    An advisor answer listing sample colleges by band, each with a short reason, followed by next steps.
    Shown on BasicThe answer gives picks by band with a one-line reason, the next steps and questions to talk through together.

  4. Bands, never a percentage

    The advisor answering a question about getting in with the college's band and the reasons for it.
    Shown on BasicAsk whether you will get in and the advisor shows the band and its reasons instead of guessing a number.

  5. In-state and within budget

    An advisor answer showing sample in-state colleges estimated under the yearly cost the student named.
    Shown on BasicAsk for in-state colleges under a yearly cost and the answer keeps to both limits at once.

  6. Two colleges, side by side

    The advisor's side-by-side answer for two sample colleges with band, estimated cost and reason.
    Shown on BasicCompare shows two colleges together with each one's band, estimated yearly cost and reason.

  7. What a higher score changes

    The score what-if listing sample saved colleges that would move bands at higher test scores.
    Shown on PremiumThe what-if shows which saved colleges a higher score would move to another band, and at what score.

  8. What is due next

    A list of upcoming application deadlines for sample colleges with the round and days remaining.
    Shown on BasicDeadlines come from the colleges on your list, with the round and how many days are left.

  9. The free glance

    The free preview showing one sample college per band and a note on what the Basic plan unlocks.
    Shown on Free glanceOn the free glance you see the best match in each band and a line on what Basic adds.

  10. Open questions on Basic

    An open question answered from the college list, with a note that written answers come with Premium.
    Shown on BasicOn Basic an open question gets the nearest instant answer, and written answers are part of Premium.

  11. The same advisor on a phone

    The college advisor on a phone-sized screen in a single column.
    Shown on BasicEvery screen works in one column on a phone, with the same answers and controls.

The samples are fictional

Every student, college, score and figure in this recording and these screens is a fictional sample made for this guide. Your own list will look different.

Start with the goal

A college list is built from a real score. Lock a score goal and GoalGap plans the route to it; the college tool opens in your student account.

Lock my goalCompare Basic and Premium