A Future Full of Possible Connections for Millions of Students

Knowing what you want for your future is one thing but knowing how to get there is another. Just ask Angelina, a high school senior from Kissimmee, Florida, with dreams of becoming a lawyer. Her interest in contract law started with her watching a documentary about the boy band *NSYNC. In one sequence it was revealed that fine print in a contract had changed everything for the band. This got her thinking about how something so technical could have a profound impact on people’s lives. 

“Law is my passion. I want to do something that has an impact on people’s lives. But I remember as a freshman hearing seniors talking about college apps being scary,” Angelina said. “They were so nervous, talking about how overwhelming and stressful it was."

That’s why she remembers the moment this past fall when she was notified via a text that her SAT® School Day score was available. The score was good, but what came next was better.  

“I didn’t have to press so many buttons to find my score,” she shared. “I love my computer, but the BigFuture® School app makes things easier on-the-go to check things quickly. I don’t live in a very well-resourced area so getting encouraged by my college and career coordinator to use the app has been what’s helped me stay on track toward my dreams.”

From Scores to Steps Forward

This fall, over 3.9 million students like Angelina received their SAT Suite of Assessment scores. It’s a time when families and educators start having some of the most meaningful conversations of the year about college, careers, and the future.

BigFuture School was built for this moment.  

With the BigFuture School mobile app, students see how their academic skills connect to real opportunities, including growing careers in their state and colleges that align with their interests.

Since the launch, BigFuture School has become the go-to tool for students to access their in-school assessment scores. This year, it’s become so much more. The app offers a more engaging experience so students can actively explore college profiles, discover relevant tips, and find careers that inspire them. When exploration is connected to what students care about, their future feels full of possibility.

“When I felt lost, the app was like that pat on the back I needed. Like 'you're ok, there are options,'” she said.  

Check out the demo: BigFuture School Mobile App

A New Kind of Connection 

Angelina knew she needed to attain a college degree to pursue a career in law, so she opted in to Connections^TM in the app. Connections is a way for in-school test takers to discover nonprofit colleges, scholarship providers, and government agencies administering education programs that are a good fit. She updated her preferences in the app to select a history major and a campus in a big city.  

“I see my ‘College Match’ list right when I log in and obviously you can search online. But matches gave me a realistic approach to college planning,” she shared. “I search [my college match] profiles to better understand the schools and the classes, and I've discovered two really great colleges I somehow didn't know about that have the programs I want.”

These two universities fit what she’s looking for, and the schools have identified students like her as a good fit. A “match” occurs when a student’s interests, such as majors or campus type, align with nonprofit colleges actively looking for students like them, based on factors like location or score range. The new feature includes a link to the college’s request for information (RFI) form, where students may choose to engage with a college directly. Already, this feature is driving meaningful engagement—40% of all RFIs by students from BigFuture School now originate from the College Match page.

That action represents the power of this new feature in Connections.   

For higher education partners, when a student completes an RFI, it is a reliable signal that they are genuinely ready to engage, meaning institutions can be confident they’re reaching best-fit students earlier and more efficiently.

"If a student doesn't like a college, they are going to get there, they are going to be unhappy, and they're not going to stay. And that should never be the goal of higher education,” said Cinnamon Dowd, director of enrollment services marketing and communications at Kennesaw State. “BigFuture School gives students the opportunity to look at a range of institutions that provide them with choices for their future. It is so important to consider all of their options, not just one type of institution. There are options for everyone if they are open to it.”

And students like Angelina agree. “A lot of kids are like ‘if it’s not this school, I'm not going.’ They have only the one school in mind, but there are other schools that can offer what they’re looking for, and they could miss out,” she said.  

For students and families, score release is just the beginning.  

The SAT Suite of Assessments and BigFuture School work together to turn test scores into planning moments and planning moments into real opportunities.  

Note: BigFuture School is a free mobile app and part of the SAT Suite of Assessments. It is available to in-school test takers age 13 and over. Students can also opt in to Connections, when available. Connections is not available to PSAT^TM 8/9 test takers.