CollegeSource Online

Abstract

CollegeSource Online is a source for information on national and international colleges and universities. Per the vendor, it has “thousands of users, including students, parents, advisors, faculty, and college administrators,” and “every day CollegeSource, Inc. sites receive over a million hits and log nearly 5,000 hours of active use.” It contains 169,409 catalogs and information on 138,816,469 courses, drawn from 7,492 institutions (as of August 13, 2022). Aside from courses and catalogs, CollegeSource Online provides each college or university's location and website, as well as information on how to interpret its transcript and a detailed profile. The composition of the latter can vary, but often contains enrollment, institution type, degree levels, accreditation, admission, financial aid, calendar system, and tuition and fees, among others.Navigating this database is uncomplicated, because its composition is simple and there are only two search options, a single search bar and a Search button (i.e., Advanced Search). However, several (though not all) of the limiters under the Search button do not work properly, diminishing its effectiveness. Nevertheless, institutions can be found by name and location with relative ease. No specific pricing is available; it is determined by student enrollment, so potential subscribers should contact the vendor for more precise pricing. The licensing agreement for this database is relatively short, understandable, and standard in its composition, so it presents little cause for concern.