How it works

Everything you need to build a thoughtful, personalised college list — from first profile to final report.

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3,000+
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10,000+
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01

Build your profile

Start by filling in your profile on the left panel of the Advisor. The more detail you provide, the better the analysis.

  • GPA and test scores (SAT/ACT)
  • Academic interests and intended major
  • Extracurriculars, strengths, and goals
  • Home state and family income range
  • Any specific preferences — size, location, setting
02

Generate your college list

Click Generate report. SchoolScout analyses your profile and produces a personalised list of reach, match, and safety schools — each with a concise fit summary explaining why it made the cut.

03

Refine your list through chat

The chat is much more than a Q&A box — it's how you actively shape and update your report. Ask anything, iterate freely:

  • "Remove Stanford and replace it with a strong match school in the South"
  • "Add two more schools with strong computer science programs"
  • "Swap out any schools more than 4 hours from Boston"
  • "Update the executive summary to reflect my new interest in pre-med"
  • "What's the average net price for the public schools on my list?"
Any change you request — adding, removing, or swapping schools — updates the full report automatically. If you have family members on your account, switch to the Family tab to chat with them about the report — and mention @scout anywhere to bring Scout into the conversation.
04

Deep Dive any school

Each school card has a Deep Dive button. This runs a detailed analysis covering:

  • Academic programs and faculty strengths
  • Campus culture and student life
  • How well the school fits your specific profile
  • Admissions context and selectivity notes
Use Deep Dive All to run all schools at once.
05

Look up Aid & Scholarships

For each school, tap Aid & Scholarships to get an estimate of:

  • Need-based aid packages and net price
  • Merit scholarship opportunities
  • Deadlines and application requirements for aid
Results are estimates based on publicly available data — always verify with the school's Net Price Calculator.
06

Get engagement strategies

The How to Engage button gives you school-specific advice on how to strengthen your application:

  • Application essay angles and "Why this school" talking points
  • Demonstrated interest tactics
  • Campus visit and outreach recommendations
  • Timeline and key dates
07

Explore the College Search

The Search page lets you browse thousands of colleges independently of the advisor. Filter by location, size, type, cost, and more. Each college page includes:

  • Admissions stats, costs, and financial aid data
  • Academic programs and degrees offered
  • Recent news and YouTube videos
  • Interactive campus map
  • Link to the official College Scorecard
08

Save, share, and export

Once your report is ready:

  • Save — store your report to come back to it later
  • Share — generate a read-only link for parents, counselors, or friends
  • PDF — print or save a clean version of your full report
  • Duplicate — copy a saved report as a starting point for a new one

Invite family members to your account

SchoolScout is built for the whole family. The account holder can invite a parent, spouse, or anyone involved in the college search — they get full access to the advisor and all saved reports.

One shared token balance. All usage — chats, deep dives, scholarship searches — draws from the account balance. Members don't each pay separately.
Shared reports. Everyone on the account sees the same saved reports and can update them through chat.
Family chat. On any report, switch to the Family tab in the chat panel to message each other in real time. Type @scout anywhere to ask Scout a question inline — Scout knows the student's profile and college list.
How to invite. Only the account owner can invite members. Go to your Account page, scroll to Account Members, enter a name, and click + Invite. Share the link — they sign in with Google and accept. You can revoke access at any time.

Who it's for

Students
Whether you're starting from scratch or refining an existing list, SchoolScout helps you think through every option — on your schedule.
Parents
Stay involved without taking over. Ask your own questions about costs, locations, and fit — then share findings with your student.
Advisors
Generate detailed, shareable reports for families in minutes. Use SchoolScout as a research engine and starting point for every conversation.

Get in touch

Questions, feedback, or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you.

help@schoolscout.college

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