College Web sites are often the first structured encounter a student has with a prospective college or university. Outside of serving as a marketing tool (Williams 2000), very little literature exists on the functional purpose of a college's Web site. Almost all college sites show an informational and transactional tool for currently enrolled students. For prospective students, the same site is a connection to a possible education and lifestyle. This research examined how well college and university Web sites meet the informational needs and expectations of prospective students. In addition, it is intended to provide a baseline assessment of college and university Web sites that specifically identifies whether the sites are meeting prospective students' needs and to provide an exploratory benchmarking vehicle for further study in the area of college/university Web site effectiveness. This study addresses how well college Web sites meet the needs of high school students, and which needs of high school students are being addressed most and least effectively. (Contains 4 tables.)