Advanced College Search: Verified Data, Not Marketing
Start free search →GradFax is a free advanced 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
Matches are ranked using verifiable numbers such as IPEDS enrollment, acceptance rates, graduation rates, in-state vs. out-of-state tuition, median student debt, and College Scorecard earnings data. If you ask for climate or social scene, those preferences use other data that is not federal.
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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?
Core school facts such as tuition, admissions, graduation rates, and earnings come from two federal sources: IPEDS and College Scorecard. Some campus details, such as climate, nightlife, and Greek life, are not federal data and come from other sources.
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.
When comparing college tools, check which results are sponsored and whether the data behind a ranking is visible. GradFax does not sell ranking placement to schools.
Core school facts on GradFax profiles come from IPEDS and College Scorecard, with source links so you can inspect them. Campus details such as climate, nightlife, and Greek life come from other sources and are not federal records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an advanced college search tool?
An advanced college search tool uses smart matching to connect students with colleges based on their academic profile, preferences, and goals, rather than showing generic ranked lists. GradFax analyzes federal data from IPEDS and the College Scorecard to surface schools that genuinely fit each student.
Is GradFax's smart college search free?
Yes. GradFax's smart 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 smart search use?
GradFax builds its core school figures from two federal 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 taken from government records, not school marketing materials. When you ask for things like climate or social scene, search also uses other data, such as Open-Meteo weather data and Greek life and nightlife figures that no federal survey collects.
How is GradFax different from other college search tools?
GradFax uses federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data for core school comparisons and accepts no payment for ranking placement. School profiles show source links so you can inspect the facts.
Can smart matching 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.