Sample report for a fictional student

Sample Premium Fit Report: You want a big research campus that still feels like home

You lean toward hands-on STEM work, value a strong peer community and want outcomes that justify the cost.

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Identity type: STEM Builder
Secondary streak: Campus Community Seeker
Colleges analysed: 6
Data frozen: November 5, 2026

This is the report a student who took the College Fit Quiz as a STEM Builder would receive. The student is fictional; every college figure is federal data (IPEDS and the College Scorecard). Your report is built from your own quiz result.

Executive summary

Every figure is federal data for the college, not a prediction for you.

Verified data

6 colleges match the STEM Builder profile; 3 are strong fits.
Your closest match is Ohio State University (fit 86%), which admits 53% of applicants.
By admit rate your list has 1 reach, 3 target and 2 likely colleges.
Average net prices run from $15,400 a year at Purdue University to $33,500 at Case Western Reserve University: $61,600 to $134,000 over 4 years.
Best value for money: Purdue University, where 4 years cost 0.9 years of graduates' median earnings.
Highest graduation rate: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, where 93% finish within six years.

Your top matches

Ranked by how many of your identity type's rules each college meets in verified data.

CollegesRef matching

#1
Ohio State University
Columbus, OH
86% fit
TargetStrong fit
- Research university — very high research activity
- Large student body (15,000+) — 60,046 students
#2
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH
81% fit
TargetStrong fit
- STEM focus
- Research university
#3
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI
79% fit
ReachStrong fit
- Highly selective admissions — admit rate 18%
- Research university

Side-by-side comparison

Every figure comes from federal data on each college's CollegesRef profile. A dash means the figure is not reported.

Verified data

Comparison of verified facts for the colleges in this report
College	Bucket	Fit	Admit rate	Avg net price / yr	Graduation	Retention	Median earnings	Students
Ohio State UniversityColumbus, OH	Target	86%	53%	$19,474	88%	94%	$61,500	60,046
Case Western Reserve UniversityCleveland, OH	Target	81%	27%	$33,500	86%	93%	$77,000	12,000
University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI	Reach	79%	18%	$18,800	93%	97%	$79,000	52,065
Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, IN	Target	74%	50%	$15,400	84%	92%	$69,000	51,528
University of CincinnatiCincinnati, OH	Likely	70%	86%	$20,900	73%	89%	$56,000	42,000
Miami University-OxfordOxford, OH	Likely	66%	80%	$25,900	82%	90%	$62,000	19,500

Cost vs. outcome

Four-year cost is the average net price × 4. Earnings are federal medians for former students, not a prediction for you. Sorted by how many years of median earnings equal the four-year cost.

Verified data

Estimated four-year net cost
Median earnings (one year)

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Graduation 93%
$75,200Estimated four-year net cost: $75,200
$79,000Median earnings (one year): $79,000
1years of earnings
Ohio State University
Graduation 88%
$77,896Estimated four-year net cost: $77,896
$61,500Median earnings (one year): $61,500
1.3years of earnings
Case Western Reserve University
Graduation 86%
$134,000Estimated four-year net cost: $134,000
$77,000Median earnings (one year): $77,000
1.7years of earnings

#1 on your list

Ohio State University

Columbus, OH · Public · City · Large (60,046 students)

Target

Why it fits

CollegesRef matching

Strong fit

Research university — very high research activity
Large student body (15,000+) — 60,046 students
NCAA Division I athletics — NCAA Division I

Verified facts

Verified data

Admit rate: 53%
Avg net price / yr: $19,474; After grants, all incomes
Est. four-year net cost: $77,896; Net price × 4
Graduation rate: 88%
First-year retention: 94%
Median earnings: $61,500; Former students
In-state tuition: $13,244
Out-of-state tuition: $40,889
Pell grant recipients: 23%

Middle 50% scores: SAT Reading 620–710 · SAT Math 640–760 · ACT 27–32

Net price by family income

Income-band prices are not in CollegesRef yet. Search the college's site for its net price calculator for your own estimate.

Application deadlines

Not verified by CollegesRef. Confirm dates with the admissions office.

Family budget

What a typical aided family pays at each college, and how much a first-year student's own federal loans could cover.

Verified data

College	Net price	Student loan	Family, yr 1	A month	Family, 4 yrs
Ohio State University	$19,474	$5,500	$13,974	$1,165	$50,896
Case Western Reserve University	$33,500	$5,500	$28,000	$2,333	$107,000
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	$18,800	$5,500	$13,300	$1,108	$48,200
Purdue University	$15,400	$5,500	$9,900	$825	$34,600
University of Cincinnati	$20,900	$5,500	$15,400	$1,283	$56,600
Miami University-Oxford	$25,900	$5,500	$20,400	$1,700	$76,600

#2 on your list

Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH · Private nonprofit · City · Medium (12,000 students)

Target

Why it fits

CollegesRef matching

Strong fit

STEM focus
Research university
Selective admissions (admit rate 35% or lower) — admit rate 27%

Verified facts

Verified data

Admit rate: 27%
Avg net price / yr: $33,500; After grants, all incomes
Est. four-year net cost: $134,000; Net price × 4
Graduation rate: 86%
First-year retention: 93%
Median earnings: $77,000; Former students
In-state tuition: —
Out-of-state tuition: —
Pell grant recipients: —

Middle 50% scores: SAT Reading 680–750 · SAT Math 710–790 · ACT 31–34

Net price by family income

Income-band prices are not in CollegesRef yet. Search the college's site for its net price calculator for your own estimate.

Application deadlines

Not verified by CollegesRef. Confirm dates with the admissions office.

Application timeline and to-do list

National dates for your application year. Each college sets its own deadlines.

CollegesRef editorial view

Open since August 1, 2026
Common App opens
Add your colleges, check each one's essay prompts and ask two teachers for recommendations early.
Open since October 1, 2026
FAFSA and CSS Profile open
File the 2027–28 FAFSA. Some private colleges also require the CSS Profile for their own grants.
November 1–15, 2026
Early action and early decision deadlines
Most fall on November 1 or 15. Early decision is binding, so use it only for a college you would attend at its aid offer.
January 1–15, 2027
Most regular decision deadlines
Some public universities accept applications later. Confirm every date on the college's admissions site.
March–April 2027
Decisions and aid offers arrive
Compare offers by what you would pay after grants. Ask for a review if an offer looks low.
May 1, 2027
Choose a college and pay the deposit
National College Decision Day at most colleges. Withdraw your other applications once you commit.

Your next steps

Built from the figures in this report. Nothing here is a promise of admission or aid.

CollegesRef editorial view

1
Keep your list balanced
Your list has 1 reach, 3 target and 2 likely colleges by admit rate. That meets the usual minimum for a balanced list.
2
Run the net price calculators
Average net prices range from $15,400 (Purdue University-Main Campus) to $33,500 (Case Western Reserve University). Each college's calculator gives your own estimate.
3
Weigh graduation rates
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor graduates 93% of students; University of Cincinnati-Main Campus graduates 73%. Ask each college about advising and first-year support.
4
Check application deadlines
Deadlines are not in this report. Confirm early action and regular decision dates on each college's admissions site.
5
Visit or attend a virtual session
Start with Ohio State University-Main Campus, Case Western Reserve University and University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, your three strongest fits.

Questions for campus visits

Take these to tours and information sessions, starting with Ohio State University, Case Western Reserve University, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

CollegesRef editorial view

Classes and majors

How big are first-year classes in my intended major, and who teaches them?
Is my major open to everyone admitted, or do I apply to it separately?
How do students find research, internships or co-ops, and from which year?

Support

What advising and tutoring do first-year students get, and how often?
Why do students leave after the first year, and what are you doing about it?
How easy is it to change major without adding a semester?

Cost

What does a family with our income usually pay after grants?
Do grants stay the same every year, and what keeps them?
Is housing guaranteed after the first year, and what does it cost?

Life after college

Where did last year's graduates in my major go, and how many replied to the survey?
What does the career office do for first-year students?

The rest of the report

Cost vs. earnings for the other three colleges
Family budget: net price, federal loans and the family share
A full profile for each of the other five colleges, with the rules it met
Your action plan, built from the figures in the report
Application timeline and to-do list
Questions for campus visits
A designed PDF to save and print

Get my Premium Fit Report — $29

Your report uses your own quiz result and opens within a minute of payment.

College

Bucket

Fit

Admit rate

Avg net price / yr

Graduation

Retention

Median earnings

Students

Ohio State UniversityColumbus, OH

Target

86%

53%

$19,474

88%

94%

$61,500

60,046

Case Western Reserve UniversityCleveland, OH

Target

81%

27%

$33,500

86%

93%

$77,000

12,000

University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI

Reach

79%

18%

$18,800

93%

97%

$79,000

52,065

Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, IN

Target

74%

50%

$15,400

84%

92%

$69,000

51,528

University of CincinnatiCincinnati, OH

Likely

70%

86%

$20,900

73%

89%

$56,000

42,000

Miami University-OxfordOxford, OH

Likely

66%

80%

$25,900

82%

90%

$62,000

19,500

College

Net price

Student loan

Family, yr 1

A month

Family, 4 yrs

Ohio State University

$19,474

$5,500

$13,974

$1,165

$50,896

Case Western Reserve University

$33,500

$5,500

$28,000

$2,333

$107,000

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

$18,800

$5,500

$13,300

$1,108

$48,200

Purdue University

$15,400

$5,500

$9,900

$825

$34,600

University of Cincinnati

$20,900

$5,500

$15,400

$1,283

$56,600

Miami University-Oxford

$25,900

$5,500

$20,400

$1,700

$76,600

The rest of the report

Cost vs. earnings for the other three colleges

Family budget: net price, federal loans and the family share

A full profile for each of the other five colleges, with the rules it met

Your action plan, built from the figures in the report

Application timeline and to-do list

Questions for campus visits

A designed PDF to save and print

Get my Premium Fit Report — $29

Your report uses your own quiz result and opens within a minute of payment.

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Major and career guides

Costs and scholarships

Aid and loan calculators

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Plan your next step

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Ohio State University

Case Western Reserve University

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Why it fits

Verified facts

Net price by family income

Application deadlines

The rest of the report

Ohio State University

Case Western Reserve University

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Why it fits

Verified facts

Net price by family income

Application deadlines

The rest of the report