Studies & Insights
Data-driven insights for smarter college decisions. Real numbers from federal data sources, Common Data Sets, and verified admissions outcomes.
Your Waitlist Chances Are Not What You Think
From 0.4% to 79% — the gap between the best and worst waitlists is enormous
The Schools Where Graduates Out-Earn Harvard
22 schools produce higher median 10-year earnings than Harvard — several admit the majority of applicants
Same Major, Wildly Different Salary
A CS degree from one school can be worth $227,000 more per year than from another
The Merit Aid Map: Schools Giving $20,000+ to Students Who Qualify
Some private universities give merit awards to 35-42% of students — and the net cost drops below public flagship prices
Early Decision Advantage: How Applying ED Changes Your Odds
At Vanderbilt, ED applicants are admitted at 6.8x the rate of Regular Decision applicants
The Geography Premium: How Your College's Location Affects Your Salary
The same CS degree pays a median of $106,000 from a Northeast school versus $82,000 from a Southern school
Small Schools, Big Paychecks: The Best-Paying Colleges Under 5,000 Students
Harvey Mudd (915 students) graduates earn $138,687 — more than Stanford, more than every Ivy except MIT
The Retention Signal: What First-Year Dropout Rates Tell You About a School
At several broadly accessible schools, fewer than 1 in 4 students who enroll graduate within six years
Test-Optional Schools: Does Submitting Your SAT Still Matter?
At selective schools that went test-optional, enrolled students still score an average of 1339 — and the data shows when submitting helps you
The Best Value Colleges: Where Outcomes Beat the Price Tag
Public colleges return $2.44 in median earnings for every dollar of tuition. The best individual schools return more than 5x — and the worst return less than 0.6x
What Your Intended Major Says About Your Salary: The $80,000 Question
Engineering and CS graduates earn $84,000+ at four years out. Drama and Fine Arts graduates earn under $36,000. The gap compounds over a career
The Graduation Rate Gap: Why Some Schools Graduate 95% and Others 20%
The most selective schools graduate 91.8% of students on average. Open-access schools graduate 55%. But selectivity doesn't tell the whole story
The Student-Faculty Ratio Reality: Does Class Size Actually Matter?
Schools with ratios of 10 or below graduate 60.7% of students and earn $56,811 median. Schools above 25 graduate 41.8% and earn $41,471. The relationship is real — but not how you think
Public vs. Private: The Real Cost After Financial Aid
Princeton's average net price ($10,555) is lower than in-state tuition at Rutgers ($17,239). For a significant slice of the income spectrum, the most expensive-looking schools are actually cheaper
The Debt Trap: Majors Where Students Borrow the Most (and Earn the Least)
Drama graduates borrow $25,000 and earn $29,662 four years out — a 0.84 debt-to-earnings ratio. CS graduates borrow $23,370 and earn $91,282. Same debt, $61,620 earnings gap
Safety School Strategy: High-Acceptance Schools With Great Outcomes
Colorado School of Mines admits 59.7% of applicants and produces $97,335 in 10-year earnings — more than Cornell. Selectivity and outcomes are not the same thing
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