Top 20 College Websites for High School Students
Colleges and universities offer several opportunities for growth and development. However, it can be challenging to know where to start or, at the very least, where you’re going, especially when your peers appear to be experts in their fields.
Moreover, the college admissions process is just as excruciating as narrowing down colleges and academic disciplines. Expect a daunting admissions process if you’re gearing towards an elite university.
While there’s no way to ensure admission to a particular college, being prepared will increase your chances of consideration. One of the best ways to help you prepare for what’s ahead is by maximizing your use of the websites that offer unique opportunities to help you prepare for college.
Importance of College Websites for High School Students
Entering a new chapter in life is scary. A lot of students in high school are afraid to transition into a higher education institution for many reasons, including getting help to pay for college, applying for scholarships, and choosing the best school for you. You have a lot of important decisions to make and a lot to get done. This is where websites with college tools come in handy.
Fortunately, whether you are at the selection, application, or enrollment stage of your college journey, there are tons of great online resources to help you on your way. Prospective students in their senior year in high school can use these websites to do the following:
- Find colleges and universities based on their choices, including location, majors, campus culture, and size. This will help you identify which college campus best fits your needs.
- Understand admission standards, such as GPA, test scores, and application deadlines. Prospective and current students can use this data to determine their suitability for various institutions and adjust their high school course selection accordingly.
- Pin down financial aid opportunities. A lot of websites with student aid specific info display numerous opportunities for prospective undergraduate students to reduce overall college costs. This can help allay fears about college expenses.
- Get to know the college. Numerous websites offer virtual tours of the campus to attract prospective students. These tours gives prospective students a background of the school’s rich history, campus life, extracurricular activities, and more. This can lessen the fear of the unknown and demystify the collegiate experience.
- Decide on a major. Several Websites dedicated to helping students in high school explore their options and decide which major best suits them. Students can also use these resources to understand the academic opportunities available at different colleges.
Some of the best online resources for college-bound students can not only make the admissions process easier, but they can make it fun.
You can check out our own comprehensive resources on subjects like College Admissions, Financial Aid, College Selection, and more. Or you can read on for a look at the top college websites that every high school student should visit.
Some of the best online resources for college-bound students can not only make the admissions process easier, but they can make it fun.
You can check out our own comprehensive resources on subjects like College Admissions, Financial Aid, College Selection, and more. Or you can read on for a look at the top college websites that every high school student should visit.
Top 11 College Websites for High School Students
Tired of making endless pro-con lists to determine which college is the best fit for you? Use College Navigator’s side-by-side comparison tool to analyze your top college choices and see which school meets your needs.
College Navigator is sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics and is home to a wealth of information about almost every college and university in the country. Build maps, search for specific program availability, and use their spreadsheet tool to customize your search.
This site is the holy grail for finding information on standardized testing, student aid, and college profiles. If you have a question about higher education, College Board has the answer. The organization has been around since 1900, and still remains relevant today because of the partnerships they have with over 6,000 educational institutions in the United States and internationally.
Picking a college major is hard, but finding information about different majors is easy, thanks to College Major 101. This site indexes program profiles from top-ranked universities, industry publications, and career options for over 100 majors to help students select the major that best matches with their goals and interests.
Completing the FAFSA (which stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid) can be an overwhelming task for parents and students alike. The Federal Student Aid website is run by the Department of Education and allows students to keep track of information about loans, scholarships, and federal aid all in one place.
The website also offers step-by-step instructions about applying for financial assistance to help students maximize the amount of money they can put towards their education. Most importantly, the FAFSA website will be your primary portal for submitting your federal student aid forms and materials.
Transitioning from high school to college requires a lot of writing. Emails to admissions counselors, application essays, and financial agreements are just a few of the things that students in high school are expected to compose as they prepare to enter college.
Grammarly helps make sure that all of those communications are error-free and clearly written. College applications are hard enough. With Grammarly, typos are one less thing to worry about.
Set yourself up for success in and after college with College Entrepreneur 101. This blog is dedicated to students looking to set a strong entrepreneurial framework for later business success. The site offers advice on a wide range of topics from the best strategies to prepare for college to the fundamentals of setting up a nonprofit. College Entrepreneur 101 has advice on nearly every topic of interest to students as they begin their college journeys.
If you are looking for advice on how to learn effectively in college or how to increase your productivity levels, College Info Geek is the place for you. This wide-ranging blog has college packing lists, advice for dealing with roommates, and tips for staying organized. Check out this website before you head off to start your first year in college. Whether you are attending in person or online, College Info Geek can prepare you to take on any challenge that college throws your way.
Having the right professor can make or break a class, especially if you are new to the field and need help building a strong foundation. Using Rate My Professors to see what other students think about an instructor’s methods, personality, and level of expertise can be helpful as you register for classes. Knowing that you will have a knowledgeable instructor to explain complex subjects can help set your mind at ease and let you focus on learning.
Tackle Chaucer, Hemingway, and Steinbeck with ease. Bright Notes guides make difficult literature accessible to all students with helpful introductions to the author and the work, character summaries, plot guides, chapter overviews, test essay and study Q&As, and more. With 220 titles available, Bright Notes cover the top classics—and if not, there’s also SparkNotes.
With so much of learning and education moving online, it is more important than ever for students to hone their digital literacy skills. Google Applied Digital Skills has over 100 lessons on everything from online study skills to internet safety. These video lessons are completely free of charge, and students can pick the lessons they are most interested in straight from their personalized dashboard.
Studying for high school and college-level courses has never been easier with Khan Academy. This website is backed by the College Board and offers in-depth modules on everything from multivariable calculus to macroeconomics. Using Khan Academy to prepare for classes allows students to learn at their own pace and repeat videos as many times as needed to feel confident about their mastery of the content.
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Chegg
Chegg is primarily known for providing free digital and print textbooks. This organization also offers additional student services like tutoring and student aid, including over 25,000 scholarships. You need to enter basic details like the application type you are interested in, age, GPA, and current school level.
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Fastweb
Fastweb is a fantastic college resource for locating and submitting scholarship applications. You’ll only need to create a portfolio, which is free, and Fastweb will recommend which scholarships best suit you.
From this page, you can discover scholarship application deadlines and apply for specific scholarships by clicking on their names.
Fastweb also offers additional college resources for students in high school.
College Confidential offers a conventional “College Search” function and additional valuable resources at no cost, such as online calculators for estimating your Academic Index and Financial Aid Eligibility. The website also has a student forum.
The student forum is a treasure trove of questions and answers from real students seeking clarification on various college-related matters. Whether you are a high school student or a college freshman, you can find a wealth of advice and insights here.
A relatively recent addition to the forum is the ”CampusVibe″ feature that allows students who have personally visited colleges to:
- Share informative visit reports
- Upload high-quality images and showcase campus life through photos
- Share videos from their visits to campuses
For a more positive user experience, College Confidential enables you to compare colleges you’ve “pinned.” This function acts like a bookmark or shopping cart, helping you keep track of your top choices as you navigate the college planning process.
TuitionTracker helps prospective college students search for colleges based on location, degree type, major, and size. You can enter your home income range in the tool to see the net cost for students that fit your profile. Users will have the current sticker price and the usual net price students pay after taking financial help into account.
Using the net pricing tool, you can also predict how much of the regular tuition price you would have to pay based on your household income.
The nonprofit organization TG created the public-service program Adventures In Education (AIE) to assist students in planning and completing their higher education journey. AIE encourages people to learn about and take advantage of educational possibilities by giving students, parents, counselors, and educators a website and other free tools.
The EducationQuest Foundation, a nonprofit organization with offices in Lincoln and Omaha, is a proud sponsor of the KnowHow2GO campaign and aims to increase access to higher education. They aim to offer free outreach services, need-based scholarship programs, college access grants, and college preparation services.
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InLikeMe
Students in high school (and their parents) can use InLikeMe to create, pursue, and achieve their college admissions goals. InLikeMe is positioned at the nexus of college planning, selection, admissions testing, and student aid, with a focus on assisting you in identifying the schools that are your “right fit” and creating a plan to be accepted. They serve as a resource center for students planning to enroll in college, with a website jam-packed with facts, opinions, suggestions, and direct links to countless tools and services.
While the admissions calculator on CollegeVine may be its most well-known tool, the site also offers articles and information sessions with actual admissions officials on every college-related subject imaginable. They have content about mental health advice and college-specific insights for general college application assistance. Consider searching for them in CollegeVine’s livestream database if you’ve identified a few promising universities you’d like to learn more about.
Sessions on choosing the correct major, launching a passion project, locating employment or an internship, and other topics are also available.
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Plexuss
Have you ever had a specific academic question regarding college but didn’t know who to ask? Plexuss serves as a place for students to acquire quick, pertinent professional and peer advice on all things academic, in addition to providing comprehensive scholarships and college finders.
You may quickly find answers to all of your urgent issues in their College Help forum. They also have monthly $250 scholarship possibilities that only call for essays of 200–700 words in length on a variety of subjects, such as religion, passions, and racial identities.
Navigating College Websites as a High School Student
When navigating college websites, the first step is determining your purpose and identifying your goals. Identify your goals and why you’re visiting the college websites in the first place.
Are you seeking information on admissions, academic programs, student aid, or insights into campus and student life? The procedure entails several crucial steps to guarantee that you can quickly access the information you need and make educated decisions.
Consider the following set of pertinent inquiries and reflections:
- Would you prefer the immersive on-campus experience, fostering a strong sense of community, or do you lean towards the independence and privacy offered by off-campus living arrangements?
- Do you want a more intimate setting where you can readily interact with peers and instructors, or would you prefer the dynamic of larger lecture-style classes that offer a broader scope of perspectives?
- Are you inclined towards an educational environment where your professors are familiar with you, addressing you by name, and engaging in mentorship, or are you content with a more anonymous classroom experience?
- What sports, clubs, or activities ignite your enthusiasm?
- Reflect on how far you are willing to venture from the comfort of your hometown.
From there, you can customize your hunt for search engines. This gives you a better, more organized experience instead of spiraling around looking for different information.
Once you’ve arrived at the college website/toolkit, take a minute to get acquainted with its web design. Explore several parts of the website; links are usually prominently displayed here. You should then start looking for the homepage’s main navigation menu, typically at the top or side. You can access all of the website’s parts through this menu.
Once you’ve gathered answers to your question, you should keep an eye on school updates by subscribing to the website. This is a helpful way to remain current on deadlines and college news.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are college tools for students in high school?
College tools are online platforms and services created to help students in high school with many facets of the planning and application for the college process. Websites, applications, and software are examples of these resources since they offer information, direction, and tools to help students on their path to higher education.
How early should students start using college tools?
Students in high school can use college resources as early as their first year to research colleges, chart their academic courses, and look for scholarship options. They can manage the college preparation process more successfully if they start early.
Can I connect with current students or faculty through college websites?
Many institutions include social media pages where you can interact with current students or alumni. Other college websites have directories or contact information for professors.
How can college tools help students in their college search?
Students can use college resources to study and find schools and institutions that suit their academic interests, professional objectives, and personal preferences. Students can frequently use these tools to filter colleges based on location, majors, campus culture, and more.
Are there college tools that assist with financial planning for college?
Yes, many college resources for undergraduate and graduate programs include details on fees, available financial assistance, and scholarships. To estimate the cost of attendance and the amount of aid students may be eligible for, some feature financial student aid calculators.
Do college tools offer test preparation resources for standardized tests like the SAT and ACT?
Yes, several college tools offer resources for studying, practice exams, and test preparation to aid students in getting ready for the standardized exams frequently needed for college entrance.
How can college tools help students with the college application process?
Application portals where undergraduate and graduate students may fill out and submit college applications are frequently included in college tools. They also provide advice on getting recommendations, preparing application essays, and meeting deadlines.
Are there college tools that assist with career exploration?
Yes, there are resources for students who want to enter the job market that provide:
- Career assessment tests
- Details on potential majors and career routes
- Insights into the labor market for various professions
Students can use these tools to help them match their academic interests with their long-term career objectives.
Are college tools free to use?
While many tools for use in college are free, some may charge a fee to access premium services or resources. Investigating and contrasting the characteristics of several tools is crucial to ascertain which ones best suit your requirements and financial situation.
Where can I find reputable college tools for students in high school?
Reputable college tools can be found on various websites, including college search engines, scholarship search databases, and college planning platforms. School counselors and college advisors can also recommend reliable tools based on student’s needs.
Can I take a virtual tour of the campus on college websites?
Yes, many colleges give online tours of their campuses. You can take these virtual tours to look around campus buildings, residence halls, classrooms, and other significant locations.
How can I sign up for college newsletters or updates?
You can often subscribe to newsletters or updates by providing your email address on university websites. You’ll hear about campus news, upcoming events, and significant information and changes.
Conclusion: Top College Websites for High School Students
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of college websites for students in high school. We’ve only listed the 20 we found best and most commonly used by current and prospective students.
All 20 of these college resources:
- Are easy to navigate
- Are practical and comprehensive
- Provide interactive elements
- Offer detailed information on what you’re searching for
The best college website for students in high school, however, will still be based on their personal needs, interests, and educational and career goals.
If you are just starting your college search journey, you may also want to check out the 11 Best College Search Tools.
Parents, we haven’t forgotten you! If your child is just starting their college search journey, check out the 10 Best College Websites for Parents.
See our Complete Guide to the College Admissions Process for more.
Or jump to our student resource library for tips on everything from studying to starting on your career path.
