Most teens do not start their college research because they do not know where to begin.
Over half the students who tell me they have not started their college research say they do not know where to look. This free toolkit solves that problem before it becomes a crisis.
The College Research Toolkit gives your teen a curated list of every resource worth using, organized by category, so they can start researching with confidence. It also includes a customizable organizer so nothing they find gets lost. Two tools. One download. No more blank stares.
Send me the free toolkit
What is inside the free toolkit
The College Research Resources Guide
A curated, category-by-category list of every resource worth using when researching colleges. No more guessing where to look.
- General college search tools and databases
- What to look for on each school's own website
- Social and campus life resources, including virtual tours
- How to get personal and talk to real students
- Financial aid tools and net price calculators
- LGBTQ+ campus safety and community resources
The DIY College Research Organizer
A customizable spreadsheet template so your teen can save, compare, and rate each college they research. We made the template so they do not have to.
- Basics: location, size, cost of attendance, public or private
- Academics: major availability, student-faculty ratio, special programs
- Campus life: extracurriculars, food, Greek life, off-campus living
- Admissions: acceptance rate, average GPA, reach or safety designation
- Personal ratings so your teen can compare schools on what matters to them
When students research colleges well, they build a list they are actually excited about, not just a list they cobbled together from rankings. This toolkit is how that process starts.
Your teen does not need to figure this out
from scratch.
College research feels overwhelming because most students have never been shown how to do it. This toolkit removes the guesswork. Give your teen a clear starting point and a place to put everything they find. That is the whole job of this resource.
Get the College Research Toolkit
I'll send both parts straight to your inbox.
“Robert spent time to get to know my son and help him understand his strengths. I was very impressed with how Robert guided my son in evaluating a good fit, not just because the schools are academically strong, but culturally, how the colleges would provide him with an environment in which he could thrive and grow.”Yanxin L. Parent of a College Torch luminary
students personally guided
land a top-3 choice
years of experience
I'm a college counselor who has guided 300+ students and their families through every stage of the college process, including the college research that so many families do not know how to start. I specialize in helping teens find colleges where they will genuinely thrive, and I'm a national expert in the LGBTQ+ college search.