Resources

Here are our recommendations for sites and books that everyone going through the college search process should be aware of. Many of these sites have tools that are indispensable for the search, and they'll give you plenty of information to help you conduct your own research. It's important to find a combination of sites that work for you, because no one site will have all of the information you need. Mix and match the facts you get from each to get a real picture of what it will be like to attend a specific university.

Researching Colleges:

• www.nces.ed.gov - data offered by the US Department of Education.
• www.collegedata.com - assesses chance of admission to colleges nationwide.
• www.collegeresults.org - includes retention and graduation rates.
• www.collegeboard.com
• www.princetonreview.com
• www.zinch.com – scholarships and college search
• bigfuture.collegeboard.org   
• www.youuniversitytv.com – Video tours of colleges and universities

Choosing a Major:

• www.collegemajors101.com - research college majors.
• www.mymajors.com   - quiz to help assess your interests in various careers.

Virtual Tours and Reviews of Colleges and Universities:

• www.unigo.com
• www.campustours.com
• www.theu.com
• www.youniversitytv.com

Standardized Tests:

• http://fairtest.org/university/optional - updates on Test-Optional schools
• www.number2.com - free test preparation offered  
• www.collegeboard.com - register for SAT
• www.actstudent.org   - register  for ACT 

Financial Aid:

• www.finaid.org - offers comprehensive information on financial aid process.
• www.fafsa.ed.gov   - application for financial aid - FAFSA.
• www.studentaid.gov  
• www.fastweb.com   - scholarship search
• www.meritaid.com   - merit scholarship search offered by colleges
• www.cappex.com – college search and scholarships

Learning Disabilities:

• www.ldonline.org

Athletic Resources:

• www.ncaa.org

Books to Check Out

• Colleges That Change Lives: 40 schools that will change the way you think about colleges , Loren Pope
• The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of A Premier College, Jacques Steinberg
• The Truth about Getting In , Katherine Cohen, Ph.D.
• College Rules !, Sherrie Nist-Olejnik, Ph.D. & Jodi Patrick Holschuh, Ph.D.
• Getting In! The Zinch Guide to College Admissions and Financial Aid in the Digital Age , Steve Cohen, Anne Dwane, Paulo de Oliveira & Michael Muska