The following links will help students and parents as they move through the college search and application process. The list contains some major sites that have helpful information on college searches, financial aid, scholarships, and testing as well as links to other sites.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Education Conservancy (EC) [http://www.educationconservancy.org] is a non-profit organization committed to improving college admission processes for students, colleges and high schools.
The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) [http://www.NACAC.COM]
COLLEGE SEARCHES
Embark [http://www.embark.com] College search program that contains comments from students about college life and offers practice tests, on-line applications, and a financial aid estimator.
Cappex [http://www.cappex.com] College search and financial aid information.
GoCollege [http://www.gocollege.com] College search, scholarship search, SAT practice tests and campus crime statistics.
CampusTours [http://www.campustours.com] College tours on-line, plus campus maps and web sites.
FINANCIAL AID
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) [http://www.fafsa.ed.gov] Complete the Application for Federal Student Aid online.
CSS Profile [http://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile] The CSS Profile goes into more detail than the FAFSA and gives a more in depth financial picture to the college.
Over 350 institutions and organizations use PROFILE to award their aid funds equitably to the right students at the right time.
fastweb [http://www.fastweb.com] A scholarship search program with information on local and federal aid.
FinAid [http://www.finaid.org] Information on scholarships, loans, and all types of financial aid. Includes a college expense calculator to determine financial aid eligibility.
ApplyingTOSchool [http://applyingtoschool.com] Search for financial aid, college applications, and online degree programs. This site offers transfer, college, graduate school, law school, and career school bound students of all ages’ information and immediate access to information.
FastAid [http://www.fastaid.com] A free on-line scholarship database.
GoodCall
GoodCall Scholarship Search Engine which is one of the largest databases of scholarships on the web. Unlike the others, GoodCall Scholarship Engine requires no personal information and it’s free to use.
CollegeBoard [http://www.collegeboard.com] Register for the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Financial Aid Profile. Many schools require the CSS Profile as part of the financial aid application.
Private Student Loans Guide – Eligibility, Costs, Repayment, & Warnings to help students and parents navigate the confusing process of student debt. Topics include: Federal Student Loans vs. Private Student Loans, Student Loan Eligibility, What are Private Student Loans?, Private Student Loan Interest Rates, What is a Cosigner? How to Obtain Student Loans, Paying Back Private Student Loans After Graduation, How to Save Money, and more!
STANDARDIZED TESTS
CollegeBoard [http://www.collegeboard.com] Register for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests
ACT [http://www.act.org] On-line registration for the American College Test (ACT) with prep information, a college search program, and financial aid estimator.
FairTest [http://www.fairtest.org] Up-to-date source for a listing of colleges and universities that do not require national tests for admissions.
The Princeton Review [http://princetonreview.com/college] View average SAT and ACT scores of various colleges and compare and contrast the SAT and ACT.
APPLICATIONS
Common Application [http://www.commonapp.org] Download the common application and a program to help you fill it out on your computer, or complete the application online and submit electronically. Offers links to obtain most of the required supplements to applications.
All About College [http://www.allaboutcollege.com] Links to college web pages with downloadable applications and online submission forms.
BOOKS
Colleges that Change Lives by Loren Pope. Published in 1996 and revised in 2000, this timeless classic reminds students about the tremendous potential that exists for them if they find the right college match.
College Unranked: Ending the College Admissions Frenzy From those in charge comes crucial advice for students, parents, counselors, and admission professionals. College admissions can be a sensible and productive experience. The collective wisdom of college presidents and admission deans tells us how.
Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting into College Sally P. Springer (Author), Jon Reider (Author), Marion R. Franck (Author)
The Fiske Guide This straightforward guide describes the academic climates as well as the social and extracurricular scenes at the “best and most interesting” schools in North America.
The Insider’s Guide to Colleges Reference book by students’ covers topics from admission criteria, and majors to housing, food and social life.
Rugg’s Recommendations on the Colleges A thoughtful approach to ranking the colleges. Rugg’s advice and comments have appeared in such diverse publications as USA Today, Rolling Stone, College Bound, The Boston Globe, Rocky Mountain News, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, New Jersey Monthly, and Your Money.
