What’s the Difference Between Connections and Student Search?
Connections™ and Student Search Service™ are both ways for students to hear from nonprofit colleges and scholarship programs that may be a good fit. There are thousands of options out there for after high school. When students learn more from the programs themselves, they can discover more opportunities for what’s next.
Connections
Students who are 13 or older and take the PSAT 10, PSAT/NMSQT, or SAT in school can opt-in to Connections, unless their school, district, or state chooses not to provide access.
When they opt in, students receive messages from College Board sent on behalf of organizations that are interested in them through the BigFuture® School mobile app, email, and/or mail. No personal information is shared with these organizations by College Board. Students can choose if and when they want to connect and share information directly. This gives students and their families more control over when, or whether, they raise their hands to be seen.
Learn more about the Connections privacy policy.
Student Search Service
Any high school student can opt in to Student Search Service when registering to take the SAT on a weekend, while exploring on bigfuture.org or other College Board programs.
Students who opt in agree to provide certain information about themselves and hear directly from eligible nonprofit colleges, scholarship providers, and other organizations by email and/or mail. After joining Student Search Service, students should check their email and mailbox regularly for updates about degree programs, campus life, financial aid, or invitations to apply for scholarships.