Below, find information for students and parents moving through the college search and application process. This list contains some major sites that have helpful information on college searches, financial aid, scholarships, and testing, as well as links to other sites. Scroll or click to find the resource type you are looking for.
General Information
College Searches
Financial Aid
Standardized Tests
Applications
Books & Print Resources
General Information
The Education Conservancy (EC) A non-profit organization committed to improving college admission processes for students, colleges and high schools
The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Professional organization for college admission counselors
College Searches
Cappex College search and financial aid information
GoCollege College search, scholarship search, SAT practice tests and campus crime statistics
CampusTours College tours online, plus campus maps and web sites
College Confidential Hundreds of pages of articles about choosing a college, getting into the college you want, how to pay for it, and much more
Peterson’s Detailed information on over 4,000 colleges and universities, online schools, and graduate programs. Also provides financial aid information and test preparation
CollegeInsight A higher-education data and research resource for anyone interested in college affordability, student debt, economic and racial diversity, student success, and other important issues in higher education
Unigo Read college reviews, get matched to schools, find scholarships, and more
College Navigator – National Center for Education Statistics A free consumer-information tool designed to help students, parents, high school counselors, and others get information about over 7,000 colleges from the US Department of Education’s database
Financial Aid
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Complete the Application for Federal Student Aid online
CSS 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.com A scholarship search program with information on local and federal aid
FinAid.org Information on scholarships, loans, and all types of financial aid. Includes a college expense calculator to determine financial aid eligibility
ApplyingTOSchool Search for financial aid, college applications, and online degree programs
Chegg.com Searchable, personalized scholarship database
ZeeMee Mobile app for connecting with colleges and fellow applicants
GoodCall Scholarship search engine which is one of the largest databases of scholarships on the web. Requires no personal information and it’s free to use
CollegeBoard 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 Coverage on the latest student loan news and information, plus resources and guides for borrowers and their families about paying for college and repaying student debt
Student Loan Guide Free resource designed to help students compare reviews for student loans and make the right consumer decisions for themselves
Standardized Tests
College Board Register for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests, plus practice tests, information about interpreting scores, and more
ACT Register for the American College Test (ACT), plus prep information, a college search program, and financial aid estimator
FairTest Up-to-date source listing colleges and universities that do not require national tests for admissions.
The Princeton Review View average SAT and ACT scores of various colleges and compare and contrast the SAT and ACT
Applications
Common Application 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 Links to college web pages with downloadable applications and online submission forms
Books & Print Resources
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 by Lloyd Thacker. In this book, the presidents and admission deans of leading colleges and universities remind readers that college choice and admission are a matter of fit, not of winning a prize, and that many colleges are good in different ways.
Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting into College by Sally P. Springer, Jon Reider, Joyce Vining Morgan. The new 4th Edition offers comprehensive, expert, and practical advice for parents and students to guide them through the college admissions process.
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.
