•College websites offer specific details about all  
aspects of fit. Most colleges have social media  
pages you can follow. Many offer student blogs  
that provide different perspectives about campus life 
and programs. Go to each college’s undergraduate  
admissions website and look for a profile of the 
incoming class of students.
Attend College Fairs    
College fairs bring admissions officers from many 
colleges and universities together at once to give 
you an opportunity to ask questions that will help 
you determine if a school is a good fit for you. 
The National Association for College Admission  
Counseling (NACAC) is hosting virtual college fairs on:
•September 20, 2026
•October 18, 2026
•November 8, 2026
Learn more and register at www.nacacnet.org/nacac 
-college-fairs/. 
In addition, NACAC is offering an in-person national 
college fair in Philadelphia on: 
October 10, 2026 from 11am to 3pm
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA
Register for this and other free NACAC events in our 
region at nacacattend.org/26philadelphia/11810101. 
Lastly, be sure to reach out to your success network 
to learn about other college fairs that may be  
happening at your school or in your community.
Research Support Services
Make sure the schools that interest you can  
accommodate your needs by researching the  
support services they offer. Search school websites 
for “student services,” “students with disabilities,”  
or “accessibility services.” Ask admissions officers 
about these services at college fairs and set up  
a meeting with the appropriate school office when  
you visit.
Narrow Your College Search
Now that you have identified what matters to you, 
use these strategies and resources to research 
colleges and universities that will fit you best. This 
process will help you build an intentional list with a 
reasonable number of colleges to which you will apply.
Use Xello
The School District of Philadelphia provides its  
students with access to Xello, an online software  
designed to help you build a personalized plan for 
your future, including both college and career readiness. 
You can use Xello to search colleges based on your 
interests, and even sync with the Common App to 
request transcripts and track application deadlines. 
Check with your school counselor if you need help 
logging in to your Xello account.
Do Online Research 
Use the internet to learn about and compare colleges: 
•Appily provides resources to help students find,  
research, and compare colleges. Additionally, this 
site provides virtual campus tours. www.appily.com
•Big Future by The College Board profiles colleges  
and sets up searches based on your choices.  
bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search
•Campus Tours takes you on virtual visits to  
thousands of campuses and provides college maps. 
www.campustours.com 
•College Navigator uses data from the National Center 
for Education Statistics to provide information on net 
cost, graduation and retention rates, admissions, test 
scores, and campus safety. It also details exactly 
what degrees each college offers and how many  
students graduate from specific majors each year. 
www.nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
•I’m First celebrates students who are the first  
in their family to attend college through an online 
community. The site searches for and offers profiles 
of colleges that support first-generation-to-college  
students. www.imfirst.org
23
Starting Your College Search

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