Library

GENERAL COLLEGE COUNSELING ADVICE

Collegewise Check out the blog from this national organization for discussion of topics as varied as choosing extracurriculars, writing your admissions essay, and learning how the brain works.

Great College Advice This independent firm’s blog offers information such as SAT subject tests, applying early, and college athletics.

My College Guide Learn how to be a great roommate, how to pay for college, and how to choose a major on this helpful site.

Unigo You can find college information from real college students on this subjective site. Be sure to include other sites in your college research, however, as Unigo’s information can be biased at times.

FINANCIAL AID

The College Solution Although Lynn O’Shaughnessy writes about several college topics, check out this site for excellent advice on financial aid. She’s written a book on the subject and contributes to CBS MoneyWatch.

FAFSA You and your parents need to complete this federal form to begin the process of finding financial aid.

Fastweb This is one of the leading financial aid websites out there and is recommended by more than 20,000 educational institutions.

Federal Student Aid The US Department of Education sponsors this site which provides unbiased information about paying for college.

FinAid This respected and long-standing site offers a thorough search feature and a helpful “Ask the Advisor” section.

How to Pay for College This podcast offers weekly tips and encourages students to pay for college without going into debt.

Scholarships Ignore the “sales-y” feel to this website, as it offers a huge amount of information — not just on scholarships, but on financial aid in general.

PARENTING

The College Bound Chronicles Another of my favorite podcasts, this explores the college search process from the parents’ point of view.

The Neurotic Parent Click on this link for some much-needed humor if your son or daughter is applying to colleges this year.

SEARCHES/LISTS

Big Future The granddaddy of college search websites, Big Future is sponsored by the College Board.

Cappex Create an account on Cappex to search for colleges, estimate your admission chances, and virtually tour campuses.

TEST PREP

The College Board This is the group that administers the SAT and AP tests. They’ve been around over 100 years and offer a nice college search feature in addition to sample test questions and the ability to register for these standardized tests.

Quizlet Although this online resource is not oriented solely toward the SAT or ACT, students love its vocabulary and math formula flashcards.

VISITS

Campus Tours This campus tour website offers interactive maps of campuses across the country.

College Click TV Although the quality of these videos can vary, this website offers another perspective on college campuses.

E Campus Tours Many students enjoy the extended search features in this virtual tour website, although still photos dominate the site.

You University TV Although this page can be a bit “sales-y” and full of general videos instead of just virtual campus tours, it offers another opportunity to learn more about colleges.

YouTube Although you may find some silly videos when you search this site for your colleges, YouTube can offer some good information to help you make your choice.

You Visit This site offers virtual tours to many colleges. The site is still growing, so it may be helpful to search directly on individual college websites to find virtual tours.