A young woman in glasses and a green sweatshirt sits at a desk, happily taking notes while researching college options. With a laptop, notebooks, and a cup of coffee nearby, she appears focused on planning her academic future. The bright and modern setting adds to the productive and inspiring atmosphere of college preparation.

Guest Post: College Transitions’ Dataverse and How to Use Data to Enhance Your College Search! 

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by Michael Trivette, College Transitions

Acceptance rates, application numbers, the percentage of students who receive financial aid…college admissions-related data is everywhere these days. At College Transitions, we regularly utilize such data to assist students and families during the admissions process, but also understand that hard numbers are never the only piece of the puzzle—they must be thoughtfully interpreted and contextualized before being used to make important decisions. In today’s blog, we’ll walk you through how to use our free Dataverse—along with our blog, books, and other resources—to up-level your family’s college search and admissions process.

What is the Dataverse?

We started the Dataverse in 2013 as a helpful resource for high school counselors. Now, the Dataverse receives millions of visits per year and features hundreds of topics and thousands of pieces of regularly updated data, organized into easy-to-read lists and sortable tables.

What type of information can I find in the Dataverse?

Currently, the Dataverse is organized into eleven sections, covering everything from waitlist statistics to BS/MD program lists to average student loan debt by college:

  • Admissions Statistics
  • Applying—Requirements and Important Factors
  • Best Colleges by Major/Discipline
  • Changing Majors to Business/Computer Science/Engineering
  • Costs and Financial Aid
  • Enrollment & Campus Life
  • Learning & Outcomes
  • NCAA Athletics
  • Starting Salaries by Major (by Institution)
  • Special Programs
  • Top Feeders

How should I use the Dataverse?

You can use the Dataverse in several different ways, from looking up singular numbers to obtaining a “big-picture” perspective of a particular topic. As with any data, it’s important to put it into perspective before using it to make decisions. Accordingly, we’d recommend using the tables and lists in our Dataverse alongside our blog posts on the same subject, where we strive to analyze and interpret data in a way that our readers can apply to their own lives and situations.

For example, let’s say you’re interested in Dartmouth’s acceptance rate. You might use the Entering Class Statistics table within the Dataverse in conjunction with the Dartmouth installment of our “How to Get Into” series, where we break down admissions trends and provide application tips. Similarly, we’d recommend utilizing the Dataverse’s Merit Aid and Selective Colleges with Generous Scholarships tables alongside blog posts on How to Win Merit Scholarships and How Need-Based and Merit Aid Vary by College Selectivity and Tuition, both of which will help you better understand the ins and outs of the merit aid process.

Colleges Worth Your Money

If you need to do in-depth, college-specific research, check out our annual college guide, Colleges Worth Your Money, recently recommended by NY Times bestselling author Jeff Selingo. Published each spring, Colleges Worth Your Money profiles 200+ of the nation’s top colleges and universities while offering data points and information that can’t be found in other college guides, such as career services offerings and effectiveness, professional outcomes, and an assessment of return on investment.

One recent reviewer wrote: “This book is a fantastic college guide for prospective students, parents, and counselors. Whatever information you might be looking for, from hard data, like acceptance rates and average class size, to what the students think of their school. It is not something you just read once. Just a little word to the wise, It takes several ‘sessions’ with it to absorb the massive amount of information!”

Additional (Free!) College Transitions Resources

Blog: Peruse hundreds of topics across a dozen categories, from college admissions to teacher tools.

Find Opportunities Database: Check out our recommendations for the best summer programs, test prep providers, gap year programs, research programs, online learning providers, and boarding schools.

College Admissions Calculator: The only such tool informed by hard data and decades of experience personally guiding thousands of students through the college admissions process.

College Investigator: Discover and compare hundreds of schools.

Data Visualizations: Explore hot-button topics like shifting college costs, demographics, and admissions via interactive tables.

No Essay Scholarship: College Transitions awards a $2,000 scholarship to one student each quarter, and students can enter for their chance to win.

About Us

Over the past fifteen years, College Transitions has worked with thousands of students and families to identify good-fit schools, maximize admissions prospects, and make the most of their college investment. To learn more about our services, contact us at [email protected] or schedule a free consultation.