How to Subscribe
Choose the Navigator plan and get instant access to the data. It includes the College Spreadsheet Tracker and polished PDF reports.
Guarantee: 90-day refund if it's not useful—no questions asked.
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How can we help?
Get the same answers we promise on the landing page: which subscription plan is right for you, how we calculate Value Score + Generosity Score, and how delivery and refunds work.
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Getting Started
Inside the PDF
Custom reports for up to 50 colleges you select, ranked by Value Score and Generosity Score. Includes footnotes when data is limited and detailed methodology explanation.
Data source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard + IPEDS), updated annually.
Share & Apply
Email or print the PDF for counselors and family. Use Value Score + Generosity Score to decide where to apply, and keep the report handy when offers arrive.
Pro tip: Compare similar schools (public vs. public, STEM vs. STEM) for apples-to-apples decisions.
Understanding Scores
Value Score Deep Dive
Formula: Median Earnings (10-year) ÷ Average Net Price. Shows earning power per dollar invested.
What it measures: Career ROI, not prestige or selectivity.
What it doesn't measure: Student happiness, grad school rates, network effects, non-monetary benefits.
Generosity Score Explained
Formula: Institutional Grant Aid ÷ Average Net Price. If grant data is missing, we fall back to tuition discount and then a cost-of-attendance proxy (capped at 100%).
What it measures: How much of the bill a college typically covers with its own aid—not federal aid.
How to use it: 60%+ often signals negotiation-friendly schools; <30% suggests limited institutional aid.
Comparing Different College Types
Why engineering schools score higher on Value, why public schools score lower on Generosity, and how to create fair comparison groups.
Pro tip: Compare similar colleges (public vs. public, STEM vs. STEM) for apples-to-apples analysis.
Using the Data
How to Compare Financial Aid Offers
Create a comparison spreadsheet with Value Score, Generosity Score, net price, and 4-year total cost. Identify red flags and best overall value.
COMPARISON CHECKLIST
- ✓ Compare net prices, not sticker prices
- ✓ Check Value Score (3.0+ is solid, 5.0+ is excellent)
- ✓ Check Generosity Score (60%+ = negotiation friendly)
- ✓ Calculate 4-year total (net price × 4)
- ✓ Factor in career outcomes (median earnings)
Red flags: Low value + high net price, low generosity + high sticker price.
Financial Aid Negotiation Strategy
When to negotiate (Generosity Score >60%), what to say, and how to present competing offers using CAI data.
NEGOTIATION TEMPLATE
"School A (Value Score 6.0, Generosity Score 65%) offered me $X. Your Value Score is similar (5.8), but your offer is lower. Can we discuss?"
Success rates: High generosity (60%+) = good odds. Low generosity (<30%) = limited room.
Building Your College List with CAI Scores
Balanced list strategy: reaches, targets, safeties filtered by Value Score. Creating "financial safety" schools.
Recommended mix:
- • 2-3 reaches (high value + high generosity)
- • 3-4 targets (strong value scores)
- • 2-3 safeties (affordable + high value)
When to Override the Data
Non-financial factors: fit, culture, mental health, distance from home. How to balance data (head) vs. fit (heart).
Remember: Scores are tools, not absolute truth. Specialized programs, family/legacy, and personal fit matter too.
Data Sources & Methodology
Where Our Data Comes From
Primary sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023-24) and IPEDS institutional reporting.
Update frequency: Annually when federal data is released (September/October).
Verification: You can verify our data independently using College Scorecard data files.
Why Isn't My College Listed?
Minimum data requirements: We need complete earnings and net price data to calculate scores. New colleges, very small programs, or schools with incomplete federal reporting may not appear.
Protection: This protects you from unreliable data. Missing scores indicate incomplete information.
Understanding Data Quality Notes
What "Tier 2 Generosity Calculation" means, what "8-year earnings (10-year unavailable)" means, and how to interpret confidence levels.
Transparency promise: We document data substitutions and proxies so you know exactly what you're seeing.
Account & Billing
How Subscription Plans Work
Navigator ($39/one-time) includes five custom PDF report (up to 50 colleges), plus the College Spreadsheet Tracker and priority support.
How it works: Select up to 50 colleges from the data table and request a custom PDF report. Reports are generated on-demand and emailed within 24-48 hours (depending on plan volume).
Update Alerts
Get notified when we refresh federal data, add premium features, or update methodology.
Refund Policy
Not satisfied with a report? Email [email protected] within 90 days for a full refund, no questions asked.
Our promise: If the data doesn't help you make a better decision, you shouldn't pay for it.
Still need help?
Can't find what you're looking for? Check our FAQ or email us at [email protected]. We typically respond within 24 hours.