Getting Started
What is this platform and how can it help me?
ExpandOur platform is a comprehensive college decision-support tool designed to help students and parents navigate one of life's biggest decisions choosing the right college with a focus on financial planning and return on investment. We bring together millions of data points from more than a dozen sources and 20+ data sets that inform students and parents about thousands of colleges and universities, programs, costs, financial aid, and post-graduation outcomes so you can make informed, confident choices about your educational future.
Who is this platform for?
ExpandWe serve students exploring colleges (from high schoolers beginning their search to transfer students), parents and families helping support those decisions, and counselors or advisors guiding students through the process.
Is the platform free to use?
ExpandYou can create a user account and begin exploring schools, comparing programs, and using tools like our financial aid calculator and wage estimator. Check our website for details on available plans and features.
Finding the Right School
How can I search for schools?
ExpandYou can search and filter across thousands of schools by factors including location, campus setting (urban, suburban, rural), school size, admission selectivity, programs offered, SAT/ACT score ranges, and more. Each school profile includes over 50 detailed attributes to help you compare.
Can the platform suggest schools that match my profile?
ExpandYes! Once you enter your information — such as GPA, SAT/ACT scores, areas of study interest, household income, and campus preferences — our system can match you with schools where you'd be a competitive applicant. We also provide similar school recommendations so you can discover colleges you might not have considered.
What information is available about each school?
ExpandEach School Profile Includes:
- Admissions data: Acceptance rates, average SAT/ACT scores, and historical trends
- Academics: Programs and majors offered, degrees awarded, and program rankings
- Campus life: Location, setting, campus details, and student demographics
- Costs: Tuition & fees (in-state and out-of-state), room & board, and net price by income level
- Financial aid: Average grants, scholarships, loans, and Pell Grant information
- Outcomes: Graduation rates, median earnings after graduation, and return on investment (ROI)
What is a Program Ranking and how is it calculated?
ExpandOur program rankings use a composite score built from up to nine key metrics — including median earnings, debt levels, and completion rates — to help you see how a specific major at one school stacks up against the same major at other schools. We also offer program rankings broken down by family income level, so you can see outcomes for students from backgrounds similar to yours.
Costs & Financial Aid
How can I estimate the true cost of attending a school?
ExpandOur Financial Aid Calculator lets you enter your family's financial details to estimate your personalized net price — the amount you'd actually pay after grants and scholarships. We show net cost breakdowns by family income bracket (e.g., $0–$30K, $30K–$48K, $48K–$75K, $75K–$110K, and $110K+), so you get a realistic picture rather than just sticker price.
What types of financial aid data do you provide?
ExpandWe Track Over 100 Financial Aid Data Points Per School, Including:
- Grants & scholarships: Federal, state, institutional, and Pell Grant amounts
- Loans: Federal and private loan averages, plus cumulative debt at graduation
- Net price: What students actually pay, broken down by income level
- Debt repayment: Loan default rates and non-payment statistics
- Historical trends: How aid packages have changed over time
What is the Financial Aid Calculator and how does it work?
ExpandThe Financial Aid Calculator takes your family's financial information and estimates the grants, loans, and remaining gap you might expect at a given school. It helps you compare the true out-of-pocket cost across multiple schools so you can plan your budget with confidence.
Do you have information about Pell Grants?
ExpandYes. We provide detailed Pell Grant data for every school, including the number of recipients, total disbursement amounts, and the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants — a key indicator of a school's commitment to supporting students from lower-income families.
Outcomes & Return on Investment
Can I see how much graduates earn after college?
ExpandAbsolutely! We provide median earnings data at multiple milestones — 1 year, 6 years, 8 years, and 10 years after enrollment. You can view earnings by school and by specific program/major, so you can compare the financial return of different degrees.
What is the College ROI Calculator?
ExpandOur College ROI (Return on Investment) tool compares the total cost of a degree against projected post-graduation earnings. It calculates break-even years — how long it takes for your increased earnings to pay back the cost of your degree — helping you weigh the long-term value of your investment.
Can I see earnings data for specific majors or careers?
ExpandYes! We Incorporate Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Including:
- Occupation-level wages linked to specific majors
- Employment projections and wage growth trends
- Major-to-occupation earnings mapping so you can see what careers a major typically leads to and what they pay
Our Wage Estimator tool lets you model your expected earnings based on your chosen field of study.
Campus Visits
Does the platform help me plan campus visits?
ExpandYes! Our Campus Visit Feature Lets You:
- Save notes and suggested itineraries for each visit
- Record positive and negative experiences
- Track which schools you've visited
- Organize and compare your impressions across multiple campuses
- Ask for suggestions based on your campus visit experiences
AI Assistant
What is IRNI and how can it help me?
ExpandIRNI is our AI-powered chat assistant that can answer your questions about colleges, financial aid, programs, and more. IRNI draws on the same comprehensive data that powers our platform to give you quick, personalized answers like having a knowledgeable college counselor available 24/7.
Data & Accuracy
Where does your data come from?
ExpandOur platform integrates data from trusted public and institutional sources, including federal education databases (such as the College Scorecard and IPEDS), the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the College Board, and school-reported information. We regularly update our data to ensure it reflects the most current information available.
How often is the data updated?
ExpandWe update our data on a regular basis as new information becomes available from federal reporting cycles and institutional sources. Historical trend data is also maintained so you can see how schools have changed over time.
My Account & Privacy
What information do I need to create an account?
ExpandYou can set up your profile with information like your GPA, SAT/ACT scores, AP scores, intended areas of study, household income, FAFSA filing status, state of residence, and campus preferences. The more you share, the more personalized your results will be — but you can use many features without entering all details.
Is my personal information secure?
ExpandProtecting your data is a top priority. Our platform is built on software with military grade security. We do not sell or give your data to third parties. Your personal information is used solely to provide you with personalized college recommendations, cost estimates, and outcome projections. Please see our Privacy Policy for full details.
Can I save schools and compare them?
ExpandYes! You can save schools to your personal list, track estimated costs through your personalized school list, and compare them side-by-side across admissions, costs, financial aid, and outcomes.
Contact & Support
How do I get help if I have more questions?
ExpandYou Can:
- Ask IRNI, our AI assistant, for immediate answers
- Browse our Help Center for guides and tutorials
- Contact our support team via the Contact Us page
- Send an email to irni@irnerius.com
This FAQ is designed to help you get the most out of our platform. We're committed to empowering every student and family to make the best possible college decision!