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College Admissions Resources
General Admissions Information
Web
www.collegeboard.com College Board site that contains useful information about all aspects of college search and selection. The site has separate sections for students and parents.
www.nacac.com Site of the National Association for College Admission Counseling geared primarily for high school and college counselors, but contains a section for students with helpful information.
www.commonapp.org Application and college admission resources for more than 750 colleges and universities.
www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org Application and college admission resources for more than 140 colleges and universities.
www.princetonreview.com Princeton Review site contains a lot of free information about the college admissions process, including test preparation. The site also sells test preparation courses and materials.
www.petersons.com College planning site sponsored by the Peterson’s Guide. Includes information about admissions and financial aid. Also includes a search feature for narrowing college selections.
Reference Guides to Colleges
Web
See the College Board and Princeton Review sites above. Each contains detailed profiles of individual colleges as well as a search feature that identifies colleges meeting criteria entered by the user.
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator College Opportunities Online sponsored by the Department of Education. The Site contains a database of thousands of schools that allow search by location, program, and degree offerings.
www.usnews.com Site provides free, limited access to the U.S. News and World Reports database used to generate college rankings. Although I caution the use of these rankings, the data used to generate them can be helpful.
Books
Barron’s Profile of American Colleges Updated periodically, but not annually. Contains profiles of over 1650 four-year colleges that are rated according to degree of competitiveness. Included CD-ROM.
College Handbook by the College Board Updated Annually. Contains profiles of all accredited four-year and two-year colleges and technical schools in the US
Narrative Guides to Colleges
Web
www.collegesofdistinction.com Site that originated with Colleges that Change Lives by Loren Pope. It now includes other institutions.
Books
Colleges that Change Lives:40 Schools You Description on forty colleges that may not be among the most Should Know About Even If You're Not a selective, but that provide an outstanding education.
Straight-A Student by Loren Pope
Fiske Guide to Colleges by Edward Fiske Updated Annually. Contains profiles and personal descriptions of more than 380 popular colleges and universities.
Insider’s Guide to Colleges by Yale Daily News Updated Annually. Contains profiles and narrative descriptions of over 330 schools. “Written and researched by students for students.”
Looking Beyond the Ivy League: Finding the College Contains sound advice about the
That’s Right For You by Loren Pope importance of fit and provides valuable information about some lesser know colleges that have strong programs.
Special Interest Guides
Web
www.ajcunet.edu Site sponsored by Jesuit colleges.
www.hillel.org Site of Hillel, the Foundation for Jewish Campus Life.
www.womenscolleges.org Official site of the Women’s Colleges Coalition.
www.portfolioday.net Site of the National Portfolio Day Association, a group of accredited arts colleges and University art departments that are members of the National Association of Art and Design.
www.campuspride.org Site of Campus Pride, the leading national nonprofit for student leaders and campus groups working to create a safer college environment for LGBTQ students. Campus Pride develops necessary resources, programs and services to support LGBTQ and ally students on college campuses across the United States.
Books
K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Profiles the services for learning disabled
Learning Disabilities or Attention Deficit students at over 300 colleges.
Disorder by Marybeth Kravets and Amy Wax
Black Excel African American Student’s Advice for African American students.
College Guide by Isaac Black
Professional Degree Programs in the Visual Guide to programs in music, arts, theater
and Performing Arts by Peterson’s and dance.
Athletics
Web
www.ncaa.org Website of the National Collegiate Athletics Association. A must read for those interested in varsity athletics at colleges and universities that belong to the NCAA.
www.varsityedge.com Information about the recruiting process, applications, etc.
Test Preparation
Web
www.collegeboard.com Information and preparation for the PSAT and SAT. The site can be used for online test registration for the SAT.
www.ACT.org Information and preparation for the ACT. The site can be used for online test registration for the ACT.
Books
The Official SAT Study Guide for the New SAT “Official” test preparation guide to the SAT published by
by the College Board the College Board.
The Real ACT Prep Guide by the ACT “Official” test preparation guide to the ACT prepared by the organization that administers the test.
Essay Writing
On Writing the College Application Essay A former Ivy League admissions officer
by Henry Baud provides tough and funny advice on coming up with the best essay possible.
The College Application Essay, Revised Edition Contains excellence, easy to follow
by Sarah Miles McGinty advice on writing effective college application essays.
Financial Aid
Web
www.collegeboard.com Site (click on Paying for College) for information on the CSS PROFILE. Many private colleges require PROFILE for institutional aid, which is submitted online. Also has expected financial contribution calculators for both federal and institutional aid, as well as tools to compare financial aid packages.
www.fafsa.ed.gov Federal site for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. If you are applying for need based aid, visit this site. You can complete the FAFSA online.
www.cappex.com Comprehensive Scholarship Search site.
www.fastweb.com General site with terrific scholarship search, as well as expected family contribution calculator.
www.collegegreenlight.com Site connects first generation and underrepresented students to caring colleges, generous scholarships, and life-changing counselors and mentors.
www.goingmerry.com A free scholarship search and application platform.
www.finaid.org General site with lots of information about all aspects of financial aid
http://studentaid.ed.gov Comprehensive government site with information in both English and Spanish.
Books
College Cost and Financial Aid Handbook Provides information on costs and financial by the College Board aid at over 3000 colleges.
Hope Scholarship
www.gsfc.org Website of the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC), the agency responsible for administering student financial aid programs provided by the State of Georgia. GSFC administers a variety of scholarship and grant programs, including the HOPE Scholarship Program.
www.gafutures.org A comprehensive site that helps GA students plan for, apply to and pay for college. It provides information on GA colleges and universities. financial aid (including the Hope) and planning resources
Gap Years
www.gapyearassociation.org The Gap Year Association is a national nonprofit that provides information and resources for intentional Gap Year Programs.
www.election2020gapyear.com Comprehensive s resources for students who want to defer college admission or take a leave of absence from school for campaign work, getting out the vote, or organizing around a specific issue.
www.omprakash.org A resource for online and in-person opportunities to be a volunteer for International social impact organizations.