Just how hot are college reviews and listings by students for students in a digital savvy format?
Hot enough, apparently, that Pittsburgh-based College Prowler has moved to its new 4,500 square-foot digs on Ellsworth in Shadyside, twice the size of its Bloomfield office, in anticipation of doubling the company size in the next few years. No immediate hiring is anticipated, but the company expects to grow from 14 to 20 to 25 people in the next few years.
Ever since the startup dropped its subscription-based format in 2009, and offered insights on colleges and universities across the country free-of-charge, College Prowler has quadrupled the visitors to its site. This month Prowler expects to hit just under 2 million visitors a month, or 50,000 visitors a day, says Luke Skurman, founder and CEO.
“It was a calculated risk worth taking,” says Skurman. “To put it in perspective, we are the number three trafficked college information site after U.S. News & World Report and College Board. We have more information on all colleges collectively than any other website in the country.”
In the next few weeks, College Prowler will launch an Android and iPhone app, a game that offers cool college trivia and information that helps students learn about prospective schools. Print materials and e-books are also still available, although now just a small percentage of Prowler’s overall business.
The most popular page on the site? The college rankings and top ten lists.
“The secret sauce is we offer great content that can’t be found anywhere else,” he says. “It’s free. And we have a great team that believes in what we’re doing.”
Source: Luke Skurman, College Prowler
Writer: Deb Smit
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