College admissions
isn't a black box.
It's a calculation.
Acceptance rates by GPA. True net cost by family income. Salary outcomes 10 years out. We pull every number from federal sources — not college marketing departments — and show you the math.
The Big Board
Top schools · sortable · click any rowWhy we're different
What you get vs what consultants give you · for $40KBrowse the index
Browse 120 schools by category, state, or majorMission protocol
Three steps · then a verdictHead-to-head
Popular school comparisonsCommon questions
Q.01What is the hardest college to get into? +
Based on acceptance rate data, the most selective colleges include MIT (4.7%), Harvard (3.5%), and Stanford (3.9%). However, acceptance rate alone doesn't tell the full story — CDS admission factor weights reveal what each school values most.
Q.02How much does college actually cost? +
The sticker price is not what most families pay. After financial aid, the average net cost at top private universities ranges from $15,000 to $30,000/year for middle-income families. Use our tuition pages to see true net cost by income bracket.
Q.03Is an expensive college worth the cost? +
It depends on the school and your major. Our salary-by-major data shows some expensive schools deliver strong ROI (MIT engineering grads earn $120K+ within 10 years), while others may not justify the cost for certain programs.
Q.04What GPA do I need for Ivy League schools? +
Most admitted Ivy League students have unweighted GPAs of 3.8+. However, GPA is just one factor. Our CDS weight analysis shows that some Ivies weight extracurriculars and essays more heavily than pure academics.