College Comparison Spreadsheet: A Comprehensive Guide

Researching colleges can feel overwhelming. With so many options, narrowing down your choices to a manageable list is crucial. A college comparison spreadsheet is a valuable tool to organize your top schools, compare their advantages and disadvantages, and ultimately make an informed decision. This guide provides a step-by-step approach to creating an effective college comparison spreadsheet, including what information to include, where to find it, how many schools to add, and how to interpret the finished product.

Why Use a College Comparison Spreadsheet?

When making a college decision, you need to consider many factors simultaneously. A college comparison spreadsheet solves this problem by aggregating all the information in one place.

Organized Information: It keeps all your college research in one place, making it easy to access and compare.
Informed Decision-Making: It helps you weigh different factors and make informed decisions.
Personal Reflection: Some columns provide opportunities for personal reflection, helping you understand your preferences.
Resource for Narrowing Options: It's a great resource to look back at and narrow down your options.
Discovering More About Schools: By filling out entries for each school you’re considering, you’ll find out more about the schools in the process.

Creating Your College Comparison Spreadsheet

Step 1: Choose Your Spreadsheet Program

The most popular spreadsheet programs are Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. You can use whichever you are most familiar with; functionally, they are very similar. Sheets is free software, so you’ll be able to use it as long as you make a free Google account. It also has a sharing function that makes it easier to collaborate with other people.

Step 2: Define Your Categories

Your first step when creating your spreadsheet should be laying out what categories you’ll use to assess your prospective schools. Each category will occupy its own column in the spreadsheet. Here are some key categories to include:

I. General Information

This section is the easiest to fill out. All the information you need should be on any college profile.

Name of College: The official name of the institution.
Location: City and state where the college is located.
Setting: Demographics of location (urban vs. suburban vs. rural).
Public/Private: Whether the college is a public or private institution.
Size: The number of undergraduate students enrolled.

II. Academics

The academics section is important for two reasons. First off, it’s a good indicator of your admissions chances. If you fall within the range of typical admitted scores, you have a higher chance of being admitted. Secondly, it’s a good way to get an idea of whether the school has the level of academic rigor you’re looking for.

Average GPA: This will show you the average GPA for students who were admitted and decided to attend. It’s a good benchmark of how your potential future classmates did in high school. It can also indicate whether you’ll earn merit-based aid at the school.
Average Test Scores (SAT/ACT): Similar to the previous category, this is a benchmark number to show you what academic level your future classmates would be at. But keep in mind, test scores are becoming less relevant in recent years, and many schools have stopped requiring them. This number shows the top 25th percentile of admitted students’ test scores.
Acceptance Rate: The percentage of applicants who are admitted to the college.
Graduation Rate: A good indicator of a college’s academic strength is its graduation rate. The graduation rate shows what percentage of students who start the program go on to graduate. Schools with strong academics tend to retain their students.
Student-Faculty Ratio: The number of students per faculty member.
Most Popular Majors: The most enrolled programs and courses of study at the college.
Grad School Percentage: This number measures the percentage of students who go on to grad school within a set number of years after graduation. It can indicate how well the college prepares students for grad school, as well as the support structures at the school to help students with the application process. If you have an idea of what you want to major in, you might even be able to find the grad school percentage for students in your major.

III. Costs and Financial Aid

Now we’re getting deeper into the numbers. This section is more pragmatic, as it gives you an idea of whether you can afford the school you’re considering.

Tuition and Fees: The annual cost of tuition and mandatory fees.
Room and Board: The annual cost of on-campus housing and meals.
Total Cost of Attendance: Total cost should include your tuition, room and board, supplies, and additional fees.
Percentage of Students Receiving Financial Aid: The percentage of students who receive some form of financial aid.
Average Financial Aid Package: This gives you a portrait of how much financial aid the school gives to the average student who demonstrates financial need.
Percentage of Need Met: Average percent of need met shows how much of that number the college will cover. Many schools pledge to meet all financial needs, while others only cover part of it.
Merit-Based Aid: This is the percentage of incoming students who receive financial aid that is based on their application strength rather than their financial need.
Average Merit Aid Awarded: This number is the average amount awarded for students who qualify for merit-based aid.
Net Price: The estimated cost of attendance after deducting grants and scholarships.
Average Graduate Salary: If you’re going to have to take out student loans, it’s a good idea to check out average salaries for recent graduates of the school. But also keep in mind that salaries are influenced not only by school, but by the major and profession you choose.
Availability of Scholarships: Information on scholarships offered by the college.

IV. Personal Preferences

In this section, you’ll start reflecting on what you know about the college. The columns are less standard in this section. If you’ve visited the campus, you could include a description of what you liked about it and what you didn’t like. Even if you haven’t visited or talked to anyone there, you can quickly run-down your feelings about the statistics you already entered. For example, if you prefer urban schools and the school is rural, you can note that here.

Campus Visit Notes: Your impressions and observations from visiting the campus.
Location Preference: Whether the location aligns with your preferences (urban, suburban, rural).
Gut Feeling: Your overall impression of the college based on your research.
Extracurricular Activities: Sports, clubs, and other activities offered at the college.
Specific Programs of Interest: Programs that are of particular interest to you.
Diversity: The diversity of the student body.
Opportunities for Research: Research opportunities available for undergraduate students.
Internship Opportunities: Internship opportunities available for students.
Career Services: Career services offered by the college.
Notes: Any additional notes or thoughts about the college.

Step 3: Source Your Data

You can source data for college comparison spreadsheets from a variety of mediums. Check out college profile guides, which include the average admitted GPAs and test scores, location, and financial aid information for colleges in the United States. The editorial team at Scholarships360 also creates a list of Top Colleges Overall based on student outcomes; the data points considered included completion rates, graduate income, and student debt. Finally, firsthand testimony is a very important part of the process! This can include college visits, Q&A sessions online, and conversations with current students.

Step 4: Add Colleges to Your Spreadsheet

The answer to this question depends on how many schools you’re considering. Sometimes, the process of adding a school to the spreadsheet might be enough to tell you that it’s not a good fit. It’s a good idea to get at least five colleges on your list. However, having more, closer to ten or even fifteen, isn’t a bad thing either.

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Step 5: Evaluate Financial Aid Offers

Have you started to receive your college acceptances and financial aid offers? That’s amazing. Soon it will be time to decide where you want to go. One important factor is cost. This includes what you pay directly to the college (like tuition) as well as your own costs (like your books and computer). How much “free money” is available. This includes government money as well as scholarships coming from the college and private donors. What types of loans you may need. Our simple overview of the process explains many things you need to know to get started. For more information, you’ll want to read our latest guide to get the big picture. Then, do your own research. There are many online tools to help evaluate and compare your college aid packages. Our student staff took a look at some of the most popular tools out there. Many were problematic because they heavily promoted student loans or private consulting services. We struck most of them off the list. (Though some of these sites can be useful. We included three of them in our Runners Up section below.) Then we looked for different types of tools, based on what you may be hoping to get out of your comparison. From that group, we culled five that are worth a look today.

Top Five Tools for Comparing College Offers

For students who want answers quickly: The MEFA College Cost Calculator is quick and to the point. There aren’t a lot of frills or questions to answer. If you’re looking for a basic comparison tool, this is for you. We love that it’s maintained by the respected Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority. Students and counselors can feel comfortable knowing that the site is safe, and they won’t have to duck a marketing pitch.
For students who want to research everything: First up, watch this webinar presented by Common App and uAspire. It explains how to navigate the application process from start to finish and answers frequently asked questions. Then, use uAspire’s College Cost Calculator to help you compare offers. Its interface is easy to use and there’s an extensive dictionary to explain unfamiliar words and terms. uAspire is a leading nonprofit provider of financial aid services.
For students who prefer paper: If you like to do your calculations by hand, the NASFAA worksheet is for you. The worksheet lets you compare three colleges at once and offers space to keep contact information and a list of next steps. And you’re getting help from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, the same trade group that assists college financial aid officers. That has to be trustworthy!
For students taking the long view: If you like to keep track of every detail and be prepared for anything, then the LevelUp Virginia worksheet is for you. Offered in Google Sheets, Excel, and PDF, this comprehensive worksheet also includes a loan repayment calculator and options to compare cost by school and year. This is particularly helpful if you’re planning out your bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Your costs will change - and get more expensive - as you pursue your master’s degree.
For students who need step-by-step instructions: Off to College offers a series of worksheets and organizational tools for conducting your college search, from exploring options to comparing your aid offers. If you have the time, this tool may be worth the effort.

CollegeRaptor: Run by Citizens Bank, CollegeRaptor offers tools to help you assess how much you’ll have to pay and how much debt you’ll take on, by factoring in all forms of available aid, including scholarships and loans. Road2College: Road2College is a paid service, so if you wish to use anything past the cost comparison tool, you’ll have to pay. But the free stuff is worth checking out.

Step 6: Analyze and Refine Your List

Once your spreadsheet is complete, take the time to analyze the data. Look for patterns, compare schools side-by-side, and identify the colleges that best align with your academic goals, financial situation, and personal preferences.

Tips for Effective Use

Be Honest with Yourself: When filling out the personal preference sections, be honest about your feelings and impressions of each college.
Prioritize Your Needs: Determine what factors are most important to you and weigh those factors more heavily in your decision-making process.
Keep it Updated: Regularly update your spreadsheet as you gather more information about each college.
Visit Campuses: If possible, visit the campuses of your top choices to get a feel for the environment and culture.
Talk to Current Students: Reach out to current students to learn about their experiences and get their perspectives on the college.

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