Student Search Service
Student Search Service™ is a free, voluntary College Board service that helps colleges and scholarship programs find and get in touch with students that might be a good match. This means your child can spend less time searching for colleges and scholarships.
Fast Facts
- Student Search is free.
- Student Search is optional. Your child can opt in or out at any time.
- We never share sensitive information, like your child’s social security number or phone number, through Student Search.
- We never share test scores through Student Search.
How It Works
When a student takes SAT Weekend or an AP Exam, or signs in to their College Board account on BigFuture™, they can agree to participate in Student Search Service. This allows us to send some basic information about them to over 1,900 colleges and scholarship programs.
The information we send comes from the student questionnaire we ask students to fill out when they take SAT Weekend, an AP Exam and the college lists they create on BigFuture.
Here's some of the information we may share about your child:
- High school graduation date
- Grade point average
- Intended college major
- Ethnicity
- Academic and extracurricular interests
We never share information that could put your child at risk of identity theft.
If your child matches the characteristics a college or scholarship program is looking for, they’ll receive informational materials (by email or U.S. postal mail) that encourage them to apply.
How to Participate
To participate in Student Search, your child just needs to answer "yes" to the Student Search question on the SAT Weekend or AP Exam answer sheet, or on the SAT Weekend student questionnaire, when they take one of the tests.
They can also opt-in by going to Student Search Service, logging in to their College Board online account, and clicking “yes.”
Why Participate?
- Your child will be connected to over $255 million in scholarships.
- More than 1,900 colleges and scholarship programs will be able to send your child information on campus life, financial aid, the application process, and more.
- Students who connect with colleges through Student Search are 25% more likely to enroll in 4-year colleges than similar students who aren’t identified through Student Search.
- Students who connect with colleges through Student Search are 31% more likely to graduate in 4 years than similar students who weren’t identified through Student Search.
- Your child may learn about colleges and scholarships they’ve never heard of.
FAQ
Does my child have to use Student Search Service?
Can my child participate even if they didn’t opt in on their answer sheet?
Yes. Your child can opt in to Student Search Service by signing in to their College Board account on BigFuture.
How can my child opt out of Student Search Service?
Your child can opt out by logging into their account at Student Search Service (under "Opt-out").
Does the College Board sell my child's information?
No. Qualifying educational institutions and organizations sign and pay a fee for the license agreement required to contact students who opt in Student Search Service. The agreement explicitly outlines how they’re allowed to contact students before the information we share must be destroyed. See how we protect your child’s privacy.