College Planning Resource Guide

Many students and families find the process of college planning overwhelming. Families in which no one has ever gone to college can find it especially challenging: College planning is a process with lots of interconnected pieces, so it can seem like an absolute maze. Another stumbling block can be the fact that although many people think the process begins during a student’s senior year in college, college planning actually needs to start much earlier. For instance, the ACT and SAT exams, the two most popular college admission tests, should be taken during junior year, though they can also be taken in 12th grade. The PSAT, which helps students acclimate to the format of the SAT, is often taken even earlier, during sophomore year.

The first step of the college planning process is having conversations with the potential student. What are their thoughts about going to college, and what sort of college experience do they picture for themselves? Of course, going to college isn’t the end goal: It’s a stepping stone to a financially and personally rewarding career. That’s why one important piece of the college planning puzzle is helping the student determine what careers interest them and how college will help them achieve their goals. Once a student has an idea about which majors interest them, it will be easier for families to begin searching for a college that will fit the student’s needs and their budget. Once a list of schools is made, start researching them. The emergence of virtual tours has made it much easier to get a good idea of a campus and a school’s culture from home. Once a final list is made, start planning out in-person visits.

Paying for college is a big source of anxiety for many families. Every family should complete the FAFSA, the federal student aid form. The data from the form is sent to each college or university where the student has applied. Completing the FAFSA makes a student eligible to be given federal aid along with institutional aid from their chosen college. However, other forms of aid also exist, such as scholarships. There are multiple searchable databases of scholarships. These typically require the student to do individualized applications for each, but considering the potential financial benefit, spending the time applying is a great investment.

Testing

• College Applications: What Exams Are Required: Understanding what tests are needed for applying to college requires sifting through a wide array of initials and acronyms. Here, students can learn the difference between different exams and which ones are the best fit for their academic history and goals.
• Comparison of the ACT to the SAT: This chart helps students understand the differences between the two major college entrance exams, the ACT and the SAT.
• ACT vs. SAT: 11 Key Differences to Help You Pick the Right Test: These well-explained differences also give students more information about what test would be a better fit for them.
• All About AP Exams: AP exams can help students to get college credit for some of their high school classes.
• Planning Your SAT Practice: Earning a great SAT score requires understanding the test and practicing concepts before test day arrives.
• SAT and ACT Policies and Score Ranges for Popular Colleges and Universities: Colleges have a wide range of policies regarding what test (if any) they require and the normal range of scores of their admitted students.

Career Interest

• Career Information for High Schoolers: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that high schoolers explore their interests, research careers that match those interests, and get experience through internships and after-school jobs to help them start deciding on a career.
• Career Interest Survey: Taking this survey can assist students in understanding what sorts of careers fits their talents and interests.
• Career Aptitude Test: This free online assessment tool can provide students with information about careers that would be a good fit.
• NSHSS Career Interest Survey: The National Society of High School Scholars surveyed around 14,000 members to understand what careers members of Generation Z are interested in pursuing.
• Explore Career Interest Clusters: Clusters are broad areas of interest that cover many different career types. For example, the Arts and Communication cluster focuses on careers that require creativity and well-developed interpersonal skills.
• 14 Career Sites for High School Students: It’s important to understand how to start researching what careers would be a good fit. Learn how to narrow down your options, then explore the possibilities.

College Information

• Should You Go to College? Five Reasons You Should (or Shouldn’t): Not everyone wants or needs to go to college. It’s important to think about your career goals before making this commitment.
• Preparing for College: Senior Checklist: Those who will apply to college during their senior year of high school will find this month-by-month guide very helpful in understanding the timeline of the process.
• Application Guide for First-Time Students: The Common App allows students to apply to many schools while only filling out one application. Here, the process is described for those starting to apply.
• How Is College Different From High School? If you’re afraid that college will be just four more years of high school, here’s information that can help prospective college students understand the difference.
• If you’re looking for a positive college experience as a freshman, take a look at the 15 Colleges with the Happiest Freshmen.

College Searches

• College Navigator: The National Center for Educational Statistics maintains this searchable database that can help you pare down your options.
• College Collections: College Confidential has a huge variety of collections in which all colleges have something in common, like schools with horseback riding offered on campus, good undergraduate schools for future medical students, and so on.
• 50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities: Looking at college rankings can help you find great schools to apply to.
• If a safe college campus is important to you, take a look at the 15 Safest Colleges in America.

Campus Tours

• How to Choose Colleges With Virtual Tours: Virtual tours can provide lots of great information to prospective students, but just like with in-person tours, it’s important to evaluate the information after the tour.
• Explore Florida’s Colleges and Universities Virtually: If you’re considering going to college in Florida, it’s possible to tour colleges throughout the state without ever leaving home.
• Why In-Person College Tours Are Essential: Many people believe that visiting colleges in person is the best way for students to decide where they should enroll.
• Three Reasons You Need to Visit College Campuses: The chance to interact with current students and faculty members, experience the campus, and ask questions are all great reasons for scheduling campus tours.
• 25 Tips for Having a Great Campus Visit: Taking a virtual tour before going to campus can help you get the most out of a campus tour.
• Seven Tips for Making the Most of Your Campus Visit: Planning ahead and scheduling a visit during the week when classes are in session are some ways to make sure a campus tour lets prospective students get a good idea of what life is like at a college.

Financial Aid

• Complete the FAFSA: All students should complete the FAFSA because it is the basis for almost all college financial aid.
• Financial Aid for Students: The federal government oversees and administers different financial aid programs, which are explained here.
• Financial Aid 101: The financial aid process often feels bewildering to students and families.
• How Do Student Loans Work? Student loans are a part of many financial aid packages. It’s important that students and families understand the different types of loans and how each works.
• How to Write a Financial Aid Appeal Letter: Sometimes, the information reported in the FAFSA doesn’t accurately represent the student or family’s ability to pay for school. In these cases, you can write an appeal letter stating why an offered aid package doesn’t meet the needs of the student.

Online Scholarship Searches

• International Scholarships: Students interested in attending college abroad can look for scholarships in this database.
• Scholarship Directory: The organization of this directory makes it easy for students with certain SAT scores, ties to the military, or other characteristics to find scholarships that they can apply for.
• All Scholarships: Explore these scholarships to find potential sources of college funding.
• A Guide To Successfully Securing Nursing Scholarships: Some career paths, like nursing, have scholarships available to support young people in joining the profession.