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Free, fast, and helpful information for college

Independent college discovery — built by educators and engineers.
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Aaniiih Nakoda College
Abilene Christian University
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Academy College
Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations
Acupuncture and Massage College
Adams State University
Adelphi University
Adler University
Adrian College
Advance Science International College
Advanced College
AdventHealth University
Agnes Scott College
AI Miami International University of Art and Design
Aiken Technical College
Aaniiih Nakoda College
Abilene Christian University
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Academy College
Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations
Acupuncture and Massage College
Adams State University
Adelphi University
Adler University
Adrian College
Advance Science International College
Advanced College
AdventHealth University
Agnes Scott College
AI Miami International University of Art and Design
Aiken Technical College
Aaniiih Nakoda College
Abilene Christian University
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Academy College
Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations
Acupuncture and Massage College
Adams State University
Adelphi University
Adler University
Adrian College
Advance Science International College
Advanced College
AdventHealth University
Agnes Scott College
AI Miami International University of Art and Design
Aiken Technical College
Aaniiih Nakoda College
Abilene Christian University
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Academy College
Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations
Acupuncture and Massage College
Adams State University
Adelphi University
Adler University
Adrian College
Advance Science International College
Advanced College
AdventHealth University
Agnes Scott College
AI Miami International University of Art and Design
Aiken Technical College

Our story

Built for students, grounded in data

What is CollegesLike?

CollegesLike is an independent college discovery, evaluation, and comparison platform. We combine verified institutional data — admissions, cost, outcomes, and location — with a clearly labeled editorial view and explainable similarity tools.

The public site separates three layers on every profile: source-backed facts, CollegesLike editorial context, and personalized tools such as backpack lists and colleges-like-this matching. Pages that do not meet our quality bar stay out of search indexes until they are reviewed.

Why we built it

Students and families were drowning in marketing noise, paid rankings, and incomplete spreadsheets. Counselors were stretched thin. We wanted one place where anyone could compare schools on evidence, understand trade-offs, and share a shortlist without paying for basic information.

CollegesLike is free to use because access to trustworthy college data should not depend on zip code or budget. We built it for applicants, parents, teachers, and counselors who need speed, clarity, and sources they can verify.

How Jefferson Huang helped

Jefferson Huang partnered with founder ARIN during the platform build. He helped shape the database-driven data model and structure-driven markup that powers CollegesLike search — organizing institutional facts so they can be queried, filtered, and surfaced reliably across college profiles and directory pages.

His work on normalized schema design, searchable field structure, and consistent data markup gave the search functionality a solid foundation. We credit Jefferson for the engineering behind how students find and compare colleges on CollegesLike today.

About CollegesLike

There are more than 3,400 colleges and universities in the United States. It is difficult to know what they are really like or which might fit you. Too many applicants still choose schools with incomplete information — which hurts students and institutions alike.

Several people on the CollegesLike team are former admission leaders and counselors. Together with engineers and editors, we built free, student-centered tools to cut through noise and help you focus on a short list of schools that match your goals.

With CollegesLike, you use verified data, professional context, and perspectives from current students to compare colleges side by side.

We designed the platform to guide you through search, comparison, and sharing — and we keep core discovery tools free for students and families.

It helps to have trustworthy tools in your corner, especially when you have limited access to private counselors or school-based college coaching.

In a short session you can: compare colleges on admissions and cost, explore individual profiles, find similar schools, watch student perspectives, save lists to your backpack, and share them with counselors, teachers, family, and friends.

The Story Behind the Screen

We built the tool we
wished we had.

A few years ago, we realized the college search had become a high-stress industry instead of a journey of self-discovery. Helpful information was often locked behind expensive counselors or scattered across unreliable sites.

Founder ARIN set out to change that. With advisors, editors, and search architect Jefferson Huang — who helped build the database-driven, structure-driven data markup behind search — CollegesLike was shaped by people who care about evidence, accessibility, and student outcomes.

Today, CollegesLike is more than a search engine. It is your backpack, your comparison workspace, and your source-backed guide. We are here so your next step is an informed one.

Clarity over Confusion

We translate complex admission data into simple, actionable insights so you can focus on finding your perfect fit.

Unbiased & Free

Every student deserves access to premium guidance. That's why our revolutionary tools are 100% free forever.

Student-First Design

From AI searches to real student videos, every feature is designed to make your transition seamless.

Our Impact
By The Numbers

We leverage data science and human expertise to organize higher education information in a way that actually makes sense. Our platform empowers you through informed decisions.

3,400+

Colleges Analyzed

Comprehensive data on every major US institution.

100%

Free to Use

No hidden fees, no premium tiers. Just open access.

50+

Data Points

Deep insights into admissions, campus life, and aid.

1

Clear Goal

To empower your future through informed decisions.

Our Blog

Latest Insights & Guides

Expert advice, application strategies, and financial tips to help you navigate your college journey with confidence.

How to Compare Public Universities
College Guides
CollegesLike EditorialJun 27, 2026

How to Compare Public Universities

A practical framework for comparing cost, outcomes, and campus fit across public universities.

Read Full Article
How to Compare Public Universities by Net Price
College Guides
CollegesLike EditorialJun 27, 2026

How to Compare Public Universities by Net Price

A source-backed CollegesLike guide covering How to Compare Public Universities by Net Price, grounded in IPEDS and College Scorecard metrics.

Read Full Article
Understanding College Admit Rates Without Misreading Selectivity
College Guides
CollegesLike EditorialJun 27, 2026

Understanding College Admit Rates Without Misreading Selectivity

A source-backed CollegesLike guide covering Understanding College Admit Rates Without Misreading Selectivity, grounded in IPEDS and College Scorecard metrics.

Read Full Article

Our Team

Innovative, driven, and dedicated to success.

Jeff

Jeff,

CEO & Co-Founder

Jeff worked in higher education for 30+ years and was the Vice President for Admission & Financial Aid and Presidential Advisor at a top-10 liberal arts college. Jeff holds a PhD in Philosophy, and taught college classes for 35 semesters. Most recently, Jeff was the President of an independent school in Maryland.

Catie

Catie,

Co-Founder

Catie worked as a teacher in public and private schools for a decade, before making the shift to working in college admission.

Jonathan

Jonathan,

Leadership Coach

Jonathan is the former VP of Products and current Senior Advisor to the CEO of Google/Alphabet. Jonathan has been running huge technology companies (FAANG) for over 30 years. He has an MBA from the Chicago/Booth School, is the author of two best-selling books on management, and is now mentoring the CEO’s of companies that he cares about.

Dick

Dick,

Consultant and Advisor

Dick worked in higher education for over 40 years and was the Vice President for Admission and Financial Aid at a top-10 liberal arts college. Dick is now retired and serves as an advisor to the CEO, particularly on west-coast institutions and liberal arts colleges.

Bill

Bill,

Consultant and Advisor

Bill worked in higher education for over 40 years and was the Vice President for Admission and Financial Aid at some of America’s most prestigious universities. Bill is now retired and serves as an advisor to the CEO, particularly on east-coast institutions and research universities.

Arindam

Arindam,

Developer

Arindam takes our information and turns it into a functional website. There's a lot of programming code going on behind the scenes, and almost all of it was written by Arindam.

Kay

Kay,

Legal Consultant

Kay wrote the Terms of Service and has proofread many versions of CollegesLike.

Ann

Ann,

Legal Consultant

Ann helped us get the Copyright and Trademark applications completed.

Faye

Faye,

Graphic Artist

Faye designed the CollegesLike logo, and runs a gallery for marginalized artists in Glendale, California.