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Library

Clear, friendly guides that walk you through the U.S. college admissions journey — financial aid, essays, deadlines, and more — explained simply, the way a trusted friend, family member, or advisor would.

Open the Library →Guides · Glossary · Tools
Tools
Net Price EstimatorEstimate what you'd really pay after grant aid, not the sticker price.Admissions ChanceSee if a college is a likely, target, or reach for your scores.GPA ConverterConvert international grades to the US 4.0 scale.529 SavingsProject how your college savings could grow over time. (US citizens only)
Glossary

Every confusing admissions term, unconfused — FAFSA, EFC, yield, demonstrated interest and hundreds more.

Net Price

What you actually pay after grants & scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price.

Browse Full Glossary →

Tools

A set of interactive tools from ACG — including the Net Price Estimator, Admissions Chance calculator, and GPA Converter — built to help with key decisions, so you can plan ahead with confidence.

Explore all Tools →Net Price · Admissions Chance · GPA
Tools
Net Price EstimatorEstimate what you'd really pay after grant aid, not the sticker price.Admissions ChanceSee if a college is a likely, target, or reach for your scores.GPA ConverterConvert international grades to the US 4.0 scale.529 SavingsProject how your college savings could grow over time. (US citizens only)
Glossary

Every confusing admissions term, unconfused — FAFSA, EFC, yield, demonstrated interest and hundreds more.

Net Price

What you actually pay after grants & scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price.

Browse Full Glossary →
For students, parents & counselors

A2Z College Guide Your guide to U.S. college admissions

Find colleges that feel right for you. Search, match, and get clear and calm guidance through the U.S. college admissions journey.

For international and domestic students alike
ACG Penguin
You're not behind, you're just at the start.

How ACG guides you through the college journey

Glossary

The ACG Glossary explains the often-confusing words and terms around U.S. college admissions, so you have a simple reference to turn to whether you're applying, helping someone apply, or guiding others through it.

529 PlanFAFSACost of Attendance (COA)CSS ProfileEarly Decision (ED)Early Action (EA)Demonstrated NeedMerit AidLatin Honors (cum laude)Work-StudyTest-Optional
Questions

The things people ask us most.

Is ACG free?
The core is free for everyone, forever — search, matching, the Catalog, the Library, calculators and the glossary. Optional extras like deeper coaching or courses may be paid, but you never need them to get real value.
Does ACG help international students?
Very much so. ACG has dedicated support for students from 50+ countries — visa timelines, credential evaluation, GPA conversion, English requirements and local cost calculators — the parts most U.S. tools skip.
Can I use ACG if I'm still early in high school, or if I've already begun the college admissions journey?
Yes! Whether you're just starting to explore or already deep into applications, ACG meets you where you are — the tools and guides work at any stage.
What if I don't know what I want to study yet?
That's completely normal — a lot of students don't. The Matchmaker works with what you do know, and you can always come back and update your answers as things become clearer.
Does ACG take money from colleges?
No — never. We take no money from any college, program, or test-prep company, so no one can pay to rank higher or show up in your results. That’s the whole point: our advice answers to you, not to a recruiting office.
Do you sell my data?
Never. What you tell us stays private to you and lives in your own dashboard. We don’t sell it and we don’t pass it to recruiters.