College Scorecard, from the U.S. Department of Education.

As described on the site, "The College Scorecard has been designed by the U.S. Department of Education to provide better information to students and parents about college affordability and value." It is a very helpful and easy to navigate resource for those considering undergraduate study in the US.

Information on a college or university can easily be accessed from the home page. Users can search by institution name; location (ZIP code, state, region); type of institution (size of student body, distance education, campus setting); or area of interest (degree and major, occupation, awards offered). There is also a very helpful section titled About the Scorecard. For each institution, there is a scorecard with graphs/charts providing condensed information on five important criteria: Costs, Graduation Rate, Loan Default Rate, Median Borrowing, and Employment. Nicely formatted institutional profiles can be printed for future reference. In addition, more information on each of the five criteria is available with a simple click above the graphs/charts.

The site not only offers a wealth of financial information on most US colleges and universities, but also provides visitors with other information about education in the US in sections titled Early Childhood Learning, Education for K-12 Students, Support for Higher Ed, and Reform for the Future. The site is sponsored by the White House, and history and political science enthusiasts will appreciate the numerous links to White House and US government sites, including a White House blog. While students should take time to look at other resources for the institution they are considering attending, the information found here is worth accessing as it relates to one of the most important parts of one's educational experience--paying for it. Summing Up: Recommended. General users; students interested in undergraduate study; professionals. -- D. C. Martin, independent scholar. Reviewed in August 2013 issue of ACRL's CHOICE.