RESOURCES FOR COLLEGE ADMISSIONS & FINANCIAL AID
The following links to websites are intended to be a starting point for families desiring to get an overall sense of the college admissions process or delve more deeply into one or more aspects of college planning. Current information will always be provided in my client sessions with students and families.
The following links to websites are intended to be a starting point for families desiring to get an overall sense of the college admissions process or delve more deeply into one or more aspects of college planning. Current information will always be provided in my client sessions with students and families.
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Choosing a Major
Career Explorer: Detailed profiles of over 800 careers, with free interactive test My Next Move: career search exploration What Should I Major In? - Quiz from Loyola University (Chicago) Applications Common App - Create a Common App account and access the Common App guide Coalition Application - an alternative online application used by some universities ApplyTexas - online application used by many Texas universities Admissions Timeline -- College Essay Guy's Master Timeline (9th - 12th) with detailed action items or reflective exercises to undertake each semester or year toward the end goal of successful college admissions Financing College FAFSA - Required federal form to apply for any financial aid at public/private schools CSS Profile - More extensive financial aid form required by a large number of private colleges Federal Student Aid - US Department of Education overview of financing higher education and available resources Fastweb - Information about scholarships and other financial aid opportunities Financial Aid Award Letter Comparison Tool -- enter data on up to 4 colleges for a visually-easy comparison of your costs Money Management for College Students -- blog about money management techniques for college students, followed by categorized resources relating to saving, budgeting, and working while in college (there are also resources relating to student loans, but I don't recommend students incur debt if possible to avoid it) |
Researching Colleges
BigFuture - Search engine from CollegeBoard (SAT company). Good starting point, but search limitations can skew results Public Honors Colleges: aggregated information and data relating to the Honors Colleges / Programs housed within large public state universities CollegeExpress -- College search and admissions resources, including large selection of lists (as always take "rankings" with a grain of salt) College Navigator - Search engine and database compiled by Institute of Education Sciences Niche - Rankings (including categories such as Best Dorms, Safest College Campuses, Most Diverse Colleges) generated by student and alumni reviews College Scorecard - Search engine designed by US Department of Education (also includes information about financial aid resources) CollegeData - another search engine/college match site Standardized Testing / Test Optional FairTest - Up-to-date searchable database of universities and colleges that do not require students to submit SAT or ACT scores in the application process SAT - Register for the SAT and access practice SAT tests ACT - Register for the ACT and access practice ACT tests Khan Academy FREE Test Prep -- SAT test prep classes ACT Test Prep -- low-cost ($50 or less) official ACT test prep materials Compilation of Super-score and Score Choice Policies -- updated chart detailing super-score and score choice policies for hundreds of US colleges SAT Subject Test Requirements -- compiled table of SAT subject test requirements (or recommendations in many cases) |
