Applying to college can be confusing, overwhelming—and expensive. Here’s a look at what you should know, from finding a college to paying for it.
College Readiness
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Since 2013, KERA has followed a group of students on the path to high school graduation. As they finish their junior year, they’re making college and career decisions that will affect the rest of their lives. On KERA’s “Think,” Julie Lythcott-Haims, former Stanford dean and author of “How to Raise an Adult,” talked about those pivotal decisions.
Preparation & Testing
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Provides free information and resources to support all tests and products produced by ACT. Offers resources for educators, parents and students.
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The College Board website provides free information on all tests and products produced by the College Board, including the SAT/PSAT.
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Common college application for more than 400 colleges and universities.
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A checklist for seniors to prepare for college during their last year of high school.
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Test prep and college comparison information. Offers some free information and fee-based resources.
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National Association For College Admission Counseling; a list of things to keep in mind when preparing for, deciding and applying to college.
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Offers some free and fee-based information on colleges and universities, careers and test preparation.
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For a fee, students can take tests that help them find the right career path and learn about jobs that fit their personality types.
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Offers numerous free publications, PowerPoint presentations, and posters on financial aid and college preparation.
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A resource for the college application process, covering school selection, financial aid, test prep, admissions, applications, campus visits, and tuition.
Financial Aid
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Search a database of more than 3 million scholarships.
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Apply for financial aid online via the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
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Fastweb utilizes matching technology to give students a list of possible scholarships they may qualify for based on their profiles.
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Step-by-step guide to help you navigate the financial aid process and get the most money possible for college.
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Free information on preparing for college and paying for college.
Searching For Schools
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A free college search engine with over 8,000 colleges in their database.
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Free virtual tours of hundreds of colleges and universities.
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The college selection search tool helps find any school in the country and provides basic details about the school
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CollegeNET offers a general guide to colleges and universities. You can search for schools by geography, tuition and enrollment.
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Free information about colleges and universities, career schools, graduate programs, distance learning, executive training, private secondary schools, summer opportunities, study abroad, financial aid, test preparation, and career exploration.
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Research schools, review admission requirements and request application materials from several universities by completing one form.
Outreach
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A consortium of colleges and universities dedicated to supporting students who are minority, from the inner-city and/or from a low income family to stay in high school and graduate from college.
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Students can visit virtual college fairs and gather information on admission, financial aid, housing, etc., by chatting live with admission counselors and university students.
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Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities represents more than 300 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America, and Spain.
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Historically Black College and Universities; the website for the 100+ historically black colleges and universities sorted by state, size, tuition, conference and ranking.
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National Collegiate Athletic Association; the NCAA website provides important information for the student athlete and educators about NCAA requirements.
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National Survey of Student Engagement; information about students’ college experiences, including their views about the quality of their education and ways they spend their time, and directly from students via survey.
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This site is written by students for students. It includes reflections about college life on hundreds of campuses, along with articles on dorm life, cutting textbook costs, and What I wish I had known before going to college, etc.