Stay on top of your teen's college search — without the nagging.
Colleges send hundreds of emails. College Shortlist turns that mess into a short list of schools you actually like, a simple board that tracks where each one stands, and a calendar that catches every deadline — so nothing slips, and parents can see how it's going without asking 100 times.
No credit card to demo · Works instantly with sample emails
Three steps from messy to sorted
No spreadsheets, no sticky notes. Just tap through the pile.
Sort the pile
Each college email shows up as a card. Keep the ones you like, toss the junk. College Shortlist writes a one-line summary so you don't have to read every hype-y email.
Track your schools
Move each school across a simple board as you go, from "just looking" to "applied." Every school card shows its size, how hard it is to get in, and the real cost after aid.
Never miss a deadline
College Shortlist spots the due dates in your emails and puts them on a calendar with a countdown. Parents see what's coming up — so they can stop asking "did you turn that in yet?"
Colleges track you. College Shortlist lets you track them back.
Colleges have a whole system for chasing you — from buying your name off a test website to getting your deposit. College Shortlist flips it so you're the one keeping score: seven simple steps that take a school from "first email" to "I'm going here."
College: emails you cold
A college emails you out of nowhere. College Shortlist turns it into a card.
You: read the quick summary, keep it or toss it.
College: notices you're interested
You like what you see — the location, the size, your major.
You: sign up for a tour or info session.
College: sees you as a real lead
A school you actually plan to apply to. Parents can see this part.
You: visit campus, add it to your apply list.
College: waiting for your application
You start the application. College Shortlist builds a to-do list for that school.
You: write essays, get recommendation letters, send grades, fill out aid forms.
College: reviewing your application
Application sent. Save your login for the school's website.
You: watch for "we're missing something" emails — College Shortlist flags those as urgent.
College: now wants to win you over
College Shortlist spots the "Congratulations!" email and moves the card here.
You: compare the money offers and the real cost.
College: you're in their class!
You pick your school. The rest move to "not chosen" on their own.
You: pay the deposit to save your spot. Done. 🎉
Drag your schools from one step to the next on a simple board — parents can see everything from the Short list step on.
Everything in one tidy inbox
Smart inbox sorter
Flip through college emails like a stack of cards. Keep, look into later, or toss.
Simple tracking board
Drag each school from "just looking" to "applied" so you always know where things stand.
Deadline calendar
College Shortlist finds the due dates hiding in your emails and puts them on a calendar with a countdown.
Real college facts
See each school's size, how hard it is to get in, and the real cost after aid — from official U.S. government data.
Parent view
Parents see the school list, deadlines, and the scholarship money adding up — what's won, what's pending, what's possible. The plan and the funding, not the day-to-day inbox.
Always works
Even if your internet drops, College Shortlist keeps working with a backup so you're never stuck.
See how it's going — and how the funding's coming together.
Parents get the school list, the facts on each school, deadlines, and a live tally of scholarship money — what's been secured, what's pending a decision, and what's still in reach. The plan and the dollars, at a glance — without living in your teen's inbox.
- ✓ The school list with size, how hard it is to get in & real cost
- ✓ Deadlines coming up — so there's no need to nag
- ✓ Scholarship money: secured, pending, and potential — watch the funding add up
- ✓ A simple list of what changed recently
- 🗂️ Focused on schools, deadlines, and dollars — not the inbox triage or private notes
Scholarships, found and tracked — so paying for college isn't a guessing game.
College Shortlist matches your teen to scholarships they actually qualify for, tracks every one from "applying" to "awarded," and adds up the dollars — secured, pending, and possible.
- ✓ Matched to your teen — scholarships they qualify for, not a generic list
- ✓ Every award tracked with its deadline and decision date
- ✓ The money totaled — secured, awaiting a decision, and potential over four years
- ✓ Scholarship details pulled straight from the emails
Parents get the funding totals at a glance; the background details behind each match stay private to your student.
Simple pricing for application season
Launch pricing — free to demo during our pilot
Every plan is annual with a 7‑day free trial at launch. Today it's free to try with sample data — no card needed.
Organizer
Tame the inbox
billed annually
- ✓ Inbox sorter
- ✓ School tracking board
- ✓ Acceptance odds & fit
- ✓ 1 student
Strategist
Build your plan
billed annually
- ✓ Everything in Organizer
- ✓ AI reads & sums up your college emails
- ✓ Deadline calendar + reminders
- ✓ Parent view
- ✓ Essay help & feedback
- ✓ Scholarship matching + real cost
- ✓ Unlimited schools
Decider
Don't miss the money
billed annually
- ✓ Everything in Strategist
- ⭐ Deadlines filled in for you — application, early action, priority‑scholarship & FAFSA dates
- ⭐ Priority‑merit alerts — the apply‑by dates that decide scholarship money, flagged before they pass
- 💰 Automatic merit estimates where a school publishes them — and a clear “competitive — apply by” flag where it doesn’t
- ✓ Application portal & materials tracker
Family · 25% off every student seat (2+ students) — mix any tiers, e.g., a Decider senior + a Strategist sophomore. Two Strategists ≈ $119/yr.
At launch: 7‑day free trial, billed annually, secure checkout via Stripe. Free to demo today — no card.
Questions, answered
Does College Shortlist read my teen's actual email? +
The demo uses sample emails that stay on your device. When you connect a real inbox, College Shortlist reads it securely to pull out the useful info. The parent dashboard shows the school list, deadlines, and scholarship money — the plan and the funding, not your actual inbox.
Where does the school data come from? +
From official U.S. government data on 6,000+ colleges (the College Scorecard). We turn it into easy numbers: how big the school is, how hard it is to get in, and what it really costs after aid.
What if I lose internet? +
College Shortlist keeps working. If the internet drops, it switches to a backup and shows its best estimate — clearly labeled — so you're never stuck staring at a blank screen.
Can I cancel? +
Yes. Every plan starts with a 7‑day free trial — cancel during the trial and you're never charged. Plans are billed annually, and you can cancel anytime.
Application season is calmer with College Shortlist.
Turn the email flood into a shortlist today — free to try.
Get started