AI-Powered College Search — Verified Data, Not Marketing
GradFax is a free AI college search tool that matches students with schools using verified federal data — not school-paid rankings or self-reported statistics. Type what you want in plain English and get results ranked by real outcomes: graduation rates, actual tuition costs, graduate earnings, and acceptance rates sourced directly from IPEDS and the College Scorecard.
How GradFax's Advanced Search Works
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Describe what you want in plain English
Type a query like "affordable engineering school in the South with small class sizes" or "competitive liberal arts college near New York." No forms to fill out, no checkboxes to tick.
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GradFax extracts your real preferences
The search engine parses your query into structured criteria — location, size, selectivity, cost, major availability — then scores every school in our database against those criteria.
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Results are scored against federal data
Every match is ranked using verifiable numbers: IPEDS enrollment, acceptance rates, graduation rates, in-state vs. out-of-state tuition, median student debt, and College Scorecard earnings data.
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Schools are sorted into Best Fits, Reaches, and Safeties
GradFax automatically categorizes results based on your academic profile so you leave with a realistic, balanced college list — not just a wishlist.
What Data Does GradFax Use?
GradFax draws exclusively from two federal government databases. No data is purchased from or provided by colleges themselves.
IPEDS — Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
Maintained by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. IPEDS collects data from every college that participates in federal financial aid programs — covering enrollment, graduation rates, tuition, faculty, and more. GradFax uses IPEDS for institutional characteristics and outcomes.
College Scorecard
Published by the U.S. Department of Education, the College Scorecard includes graduate earnings data linked to federal tax records — the most reliable source available for post-graduation salary outcomes by institution and field of study. GradFax surfaces this data so students can weigh actual return on investment.
Why Government Data Matters
Most college search platforms rely on data that colleges report themselves — which means schools have financial incentives to make their numbers look better than they are. Graduation rates can be undercounted. Salary outcomes can cherry-pick favorable graduates. Tuition figures omit mandatory fees.
Platforms like US News, Niche, and CollegeBoard also accept money from schools — through advertising, premium listings, or "college-paid" data submissions — creating conflicts of interest that influence what students see first.
GradFax accepts no money from schools. Every data point shown on a school's profile is sourced from a federal database, cited with a link to the source, and verifiable by anyone. If we can't cite it, we don't display it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an AI college search tool?
An AI college search tool uses artificial intelligence to match students with colleges based on their academic profile, preferences, and goals — rather than showing generic ranked lists. GradFax analyzes verified federal data from IPEDS and the College Scorecard to surface schools that genuinely fit each student.
Is GradFax's college search AI free?
Yes. GradFax's AI-powered college search is completely free to use. There are no paid rankings, no sponsored placements, and no ads. Premium features are available via MyGradPath but the core search is always free.
What data does GradFax's AI use?
GradFax uses verified federal data from two government databases: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the College Scorecard. This includes acceptance rates, graduation rates, real tuition costs, student debt, and post-graduation earnings — all sourced from government records, not school marketing materials.
How is GradFax different from other college search tools?
Most college search platforms display self-reported data or charge schools for premium visibility. GradFax exclusively uses federal government data and accepts no money from schools. Every data point is cited and verifiable.
Can AI really help me find the right college?
Yes. GradFax's natural language search lets students describe what they want in plain English — 'affordable STEM school near a big city with small classes' — and returns schools that actually match, ranked by real outcome data like graduation rates and graduate earnings.
No account required. Free to use. No sponsored results.