While scrolling through the never ending list of potential colleges, I find myself frustrated and trying to figure out what I want, need, and can afford. I feel my cheeks flush as anger arises. Why isn’t there an easier way to search for what students want and need in a college?

Naviance provides a SuperMatch college search that allows students to choose what size, racial mix, and setting an ideal college would have. This, however, is useless. I did this search three times, and none of my top colleges are ideal at all. Searching for colleges can take hours upon hours with little or no success.

A lot of research has to be done on a student’s own time. Students must search for housing and meal plans, the religious affiliation, scholarship opportunities, and the area’s crime rates. Counselors will help where possible, but it is primarily up to students. Students must choose their majors, minors, and classes on their own.

Instead of spending constant hours with nothing but failure to show for students’ efforts, why don’t counselors invent some magical tool that helps students find exactly what type of college they want? Counselors need to make finding the right college as simple as a series of questions that students answer. Instead of bogus colleges coming up, there should be colleges that students are actually interested in.