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Google Takes Step to Improve Transparency in Higher Education

By Joelle Fredman, NASFAA Staff Reporter

As policymakers and higher education stakeholders are debating ways to increase transparency in higher education, an unlikely player has joined the conversation — Google.

Google announced a new search feature yesterday that will allow users to easily access information on four-year colleges, such as the average cost after aid is applied.

Using public information from the Department of Education’s (ED) College Scorecard and Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Google wrote in a blog post that the new feature includes data "designed to help you better understand the potential outcomes of that school."

"For many, selecting the right college is an early and important step in preparing for the future. The process to find the right school for you, however, can be confusing," Google wrote. "Information is scattered across the internet, and it’s not always clear what factors to consider and which pieces of information will be most useful for your decision."

The new "experience" — primarily designed for mobile with some features for desktop computers — will also offer users information about undergraduate enrollment rates, alumni, and similar colleges, "to provide a more comprehensive view of the schools you’re considering or may want to look into in the future."

"[W]e will continue to focus on how we can better improve access to information about educational opportunities," Google wrote.

 

Publication Date: 6/13/2018


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