Profile Locator

Enter Zip Code:

Or City and State:


Search Institution

Institution name

State




Commonly Asked Questions about U-CAN

Print
E-mail



 

 

What is U-CAN?

U-CAN is a Web-based resource designed to give students and parents concise, consumer-friendly information on nonprofit, private colleges and universities in a common format. U-CAN was developed and is managed by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU).

U-CAN includes information identified by prospective college students, parents, and policymakers as being crucial to making a smart college choice and important for institutional transparency and accountability. It was the first national consumer information tool developed by colleges and universities themselves. For the first time, hundreds of colleges and universities across the nation are actively collecting and providing consumer information directly to the public in one central location.

How many colleges participate?

As of September 16, 2008, 728 nonprofit, private colleges and universities have signed up for U-CAN. See our U-CAN By the Numbers section for more statistics about the initiative.

 

What does U-CAN offer?

U-CAN helps to make the college selection process more holistic, and more responsive to the interests and priorities of the individual student. The college and university profiles provide key statistical data that's complemented by narrative descriptions and subject-specific links to relevant campus Web pages. Together, this quantitative and qualitative information gives consumers an opportunity to see what sets each college or university apart in nature, mission, and academic and student life features.

The in-depth information included in the college and university profiles covers admissions, enrollment, academics, student demographics, graduation rates, most common fields of study, transfer of credit policy, accreditation, faculty information, class size, tuition and fee trends, price of attendance, financial aid, campus housing, student life, and campus safety.

U-CAN also gives consumers easy access to information on average loans at graduation, undergraduate class-size breakdown, and net tuition for hundreds of colleges. This information, which comes from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS survey and the Common Data Set, is often difficult for consumers to find and decipher.

Is U-CAN free?

Yes. All the information on the Web site is available to the public at no cost. There is also no charge for institutions to participate. U-CAN is not-for-profit and does not accept advertising or sponsorships.

Does U-CAN have profiles for both private and public institutions?

U-CAN only provides profiles of private, nonprofit colleges and universities. (However, institutions do not have to be NAICU members to participate.) While several public universities have asked to participate, U-CAN will continue to focus on private colleges in the near term--with the long-term possibility of including both public and private institutions.

Why was U-CAN created?

Consumers, Congress, and the U.S. Department of Education have called for consumer-friendly information that individuals need to evaluate colleges, a goal that NAICU strongly supports.

College is a substantial investment, and the families of this nation deserve good information to help them make good decisions. U-CAN gives consumers the most useful information about institutions, reports it in a consumer friendly way, in a common format and single location, and charges nothing for the public to see it.

Although there are many third-party sources of college information, focus groups with consumers and conversations with policymakers indicate that they believe more can be done to help students and parents choose the college that's the best fit.

What determined U-CAN's content and format?

U-CAN is oriented toward the interests of prospective college students and their families, as determined through consumer research. The types of information collected and the design of the college and university profiles were shaped by focus groups held across the nation with students and parents from diverse backgrounds. Feedback collected through follow-up consumer focus groups, site user surveys, and other means is continually assessed. 

Does U-CAN rank institutions?

No. U-CAN does not rank or rate colleges and universities. Rather, the school profiles are a convenient way for students and families to compare institutions using a standard format. U-CAN's ease-of-use allows users to decide for themselves which college best meets their interests and needs.

Was U-CAN developed to compete with the U.S. News rankings?

No. U-CAN was created in response to public demand for comparable, concise, relevant, and easily accessible information, not as a replacement for U.S. News or any other consumer information tool. NAICU does not take a position on the U.S. News rankings, but participating colleges and universities are free to discuss their interest and involvement in U-CAN as they best see fit. Some institutions view U-CAN as a replacement for the U.S. News rankings. Others do not.

How is U-CAN different from U.S. News and other commercial publications?

U-CAN offers the following unique mix.

  • The type of information collected and the design of the college and university profiles were shaped by the focus groups with students and parents. U-CAN collects the most useful information from participating institutions, and reports it in reader-friendly format.
  • The profiles are highly "clickable." More than two dozen targeted hyperlinks take students to specific pages of an institution's Web site. The links and narrative descriptions complement the profile's statistical data, and provide an opportunity to see what makes each college or university unique.
  • U-CAN is free. There is no cost to consumers to access the profiles, and no charge for colleges to participate. U-CAN is not-for-profit and accepts no advertising or sponsorships.


How does U-CAN differ from the U.S. Department of Education's College Navigator?

U-CAN and College Navigator, both launched in September 2007, provide similar search options and institutional data points. U-CAN only includes nonprofit private colleges, while College Navigator includes public colleges and universities, nonprofit private colleges, and for-profit private institutions. U-CAN offers a visibly appealing design. Colorful charts and graphs allow for quick comparisons between institutions and allow users to get to the information they need easier and quicker. U-CAN provides links to targeted sections of college Web sites, where users can find additional institution-specific information.   

How does U-CAN differ from the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges' Voluntary System of Accountability (VSA)?

While U-CAN profiles private colleges and universities, VSA profiles public universities. However, there are other differences. As of September 16, 2008, U-CAN has 728 participating institutions, compared VSA's 297 participants. U-CAN has a search function. VSA does not. All of U-CAN's college profiles are limited to two pages, for the benefit of consumers suffering from information overload. While VSA requires participating colleges to provide student learning outcomes--and specifies which measures institutions must use--U-CAN does not require outcomes measures.

Why doesn't the U-CAN template include learning outcomes measures?

Two reasons. First, there is no consumer demand for learning outcomes data. Lumping in additional data that's unwanted by students and parents would diminish the user-friendly nature of U-CAN. Second, there is no one learning outcome measure -- or one set of measures -- that is used across all types of institutions and all academic fields of study. This makes it impossible for U-CAN to provide this information in a common format. However, any U-CAN participant can choose to link to a place on its Web site where it highlights findings from its various assessment instruments.   

How often is the site content updated?

Data provided by participating colleges and universities is updated annually. The most recent update took place in summer 2008. In general, financial information (tuition, net tuition) is updated in June, and most other information is updated in November. This schedule allows U-CAN to maintain the most current data available to institutions.

How is U-CAN data standardized across institutions?

Since it is important to have comparability across U-CAN profiles, participating institutions are asked to follow the guidelines regarding the specific year and source for data. When consumers compare U-CAN profiles for various institutions, it is critical that they be able to view data from the same year. Drop-down information boxes give consumers details on the data sources used. An extensive and detailed set of directions for colleges in entering their data also helps assure comparability.

Can a tool like U-CAN, developed by colleges and universities, be trusted to provide consumers with objective and honest information?

If consumers, Congress, and the administration decide that the information on U-CAN is self-serving and of little value, the likely alternative is new federal reporting mandates. It is in the enlightened self-interest of colleges and universities to provide accurate information. Among the statistics reported on U-CAN are list price, five-year tuition trends, and average loan debt at graduation--figures that are hardly self-serving.

How will U-CAN get noticed in a world filled with well-financed, well-marketed college selection resources?

NAICU coordinates an ambitious grassroots communication effort that supports activities by participating institutions to reach out to local high schools, parents, news media, and community groups. We market U-CAN through the "new media," including targeted ads on Google and Facebook, and a presence on Wikipedia and social network sites.