Common Data Sets

Every accredited college publishes a free annual document called the Common Data Set, and it is one of the most powerful tools available to families navigating the admissions process. Most families have never heard of it. To find any school’s CDS, simply Google the school name followed by “Common Data Set.”

The section worth going to first is Section C, which covers first-year admissions. This is where a college tells you, in plain numbers, what kind of student they are actually enrolling. You will find the middle 50% range of SAT and ACT scores for enrolled students — not just admitted students, but the ones who actually showed up. If your student’s scores fall below that range, you are looking at a reach. If they fall above it, that school belongs in a different category on your list.

Equally useful is the GPA breakdown, which shows the percentage of enrolled students who graduated in the top 10%, top 25%, and top 50% of their high school class. This gives you a realistic picture of academic competition that no brochure will.