How to Get on College Mailing Lists

With so many options to consider, the college planning process can feel a bit overwhelming. As a first step, you’ll want to learn as much as you can about different colleges, majors, and scholarships. One easy way to expand your knowledge is to receive information straight from colleges or scholarship programs interested in connecting with you.

By participating in College Board’s free Student Search Service®, colleges and universities can send you information to help you find a school that's a good fit for you. Follow the instructions below to start receiving letters and emails from colleges and universities. 

How do I participate?

• First, visit this page and select “Connect Now.” 
• You’ll need to either log into your College Board account or create one.  
• Follow the prompts on screen to sign up for Student Search Service and select “Yes”.
• If you've already joined Search or after you’ve joined, click “Update my Info” to update your preferences and information. Keeping your profile up-to-date helps colleges and scholarships send you relevant communications.

You can also opt in to Student Search Service when you register for or take a College Board test like the PSAT 10, PSAT/NMSQT or SAT. 

What kind of information will I receive?  

Colleges will send you letters or emails with information they think is most relevant to you. Colleges may send you: 

• Information on financial aid, scholarships, or other ways to make college more affordable 
• Overviews of majors, courses, and degree options 
• Invitations to recruitment events and campus tours 
• Deadline information 
• Details on campus life and student services 

You may also hear from our scholarship partners who offer $300 million in scholarships each year.

What do colleges do with my information? 

By opting in to Student Search Service, you’re allowing College Board to share some of the information you provide during a test registration or when you make a college list on BigFuture™.  Institutions can only use this data to share information with you about their college or scholarship program. College Board never allows any other types of organizations to access your information, and we will never share the following: 

• Disability status 
• Self-reported parental income 
• Social Security number 
• Phone numbers 
• Actual test scores 

How do I stop receiving mail and email from colleges? 

If you’re still in the process of deciding on the college or university that is best for you, we recommend you continue to participate in Student Search Service and only opt out from the specific colleges that you’re no longer interested in. You can typically opt out or unsubscribe from future mailings at the bottom of the college’s email or on their website. 

In order to make the most of the service, we recommend that you opt out only when you’ve chosen a college and been accepted. If you’ve made your decision, you can opt out at any time by visiting this page and updating your preferences.  

Visit Student Search Service to learn more.