One of the biggest challenges in early college exploration is simply knowing what's around you. Students often miss incredible colleges because they never show up in traditional searches. Families underestimate what's nearby. And when people travel for vacations, tournaments, visiting relatives they rarely realize they're passing campuses that could reshape their entire college list.

Nearby Search removes all of that uncertainty with one simple action. Enter any location your home, a hotel, a tournament venue, a vacation city and the map instantly reveals every college within your chosen radius. You can filter those colleges to match what you care about: type, ranking, region, or state. You don't need to know the college's name. You don't need to search school by school. And you'll never wonder what you might be overlooking.

Why nearby discovery matters

Many students build their first college lists from what they've heard of the big names, the familiar schools, the places their friends talk about. But geography can reveal an entirely different story: small gems, strong public universities, specialized programs, and inspiring campuses that were never on the radar.

Nearby Search helps solve several early-stage pain points:

• Students overwhelmed by too many choices suddenly see a manageable, local starting point.
• Families unsure where to begin can start right where they are literally.
• Travelers can use their trips to discover colleges along the way.
• Students looking for enrichment, dual enrollment, or summer programs can find colleges near home.
• People stop missing schools hidden in plain sight.

How to use Nearby Search

1. Open the map and tap Nearby Search.
2. Enter any location home, hotel, tournament venue, vacation spot.
3. Choose a radius that fits your exploration goals.
4. The map instantly displays every college nearby.
5. Filter by type, ranking, region, or state to refine your options.
6. Tap a college for details and save it.
7. Return anytime your saved colleges stay with you.

Why this solves real exploration pain

• You don't miss nearby colleges you didn't know to search for.
• You avoid shallow Google search lists that hide most options.
• You can explore without knowing where to begin.
• You can use every trip as an opportunity for discovery.
• You can find local options for enrichment or dual enrollment.
• You reduce overwhelm by starting with geography, not rankings.