Launch529: 529 plans and college costs

Search colleges

search_schools

Read-onlyIdempotent

Find colleges and universities by name, in the US and 529-eligible schools abroad. Returns each school's id, location and annual published costs (tuition, room and board, books). Use get_school with the id for cost history and net price.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "query": "<query>"
    },
    "name": "search_schools"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`query`	Yes	Part of the school's name, e.g. 'san diego state'

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedOct 19, 2026

TDQS

A4.3/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare read-only, idempotent, non-destructive and closed-world behavior, so safety is covered. The description adds substantive non-annotation context: the geographic/eligibility scope and the exact return payload (id, location, annual published costs). It omits pagination or result-count limits, which keeps it from a 5.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three tight sentences: capability and scope first, then return fields, then the sibling hand-off. No filler and every clause conveys actionable information.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With no output schema, the description correctly compensates by listing the returned fields. Combined with the scope constraint and follow-up route, an agent has everything needed to call it and use the result.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100% and there is a single parameter already documented as 'part of the school's name'. The description's 'by name' adds the same meaning without extra syntax or matching guidance, so the baseline 3 is appropriate.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb (find) and resource (colleges and universities), and bounds the scope to US plus 529-eligible schools abroad. It is clearly distinguishable from the sibling get_school, which is explicitly named as a different lookup.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicitly routes the agent: 'Use get_school with the id for cost history and net price,' establishing a clear follow-up alternative. It lacks an explicit when-not-to-use statement, so it falls just short of a 5.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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