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The Comprehensive College Planning Resource

College planning can be a confusing and labor-intensive part of a high school senior’s experience. For parents and students alike, it can be a challenge to find all of the tools for success in one place. Our resource pulls together everything you might need for the college planning process.

Test Practice

  • College Readiness SAT Practice - For those who need to practice for the SAT test, College Readiness can get test-takers ready to take the test. They have links out to Khan Academy and other helpful resources that will help meet your goals.
  • Khan Academy SAT - Khan Academy has a great full-length tutorial for the SAT. Students who are planning to take the SAT shortly, don't have to go into the test cold. Go through this tutorial and gain the tools needed to ace this challenging assessment.
  • Printable SAT Practice Tests - Prep Scholar focuses on helping increase your chances of passing the SAT in flying colors. They have printable SAT practice sheets that can be taken to see how students will stack up when they take the test. Practice makes perfect.
  • Varsity Tutors SAT - For those looking for another resource to practice and drill for the SAT exam, Varsity Tutors has some great SAT practice tests to try. Check out their resources and see the results.
  • ACT Official Prep - If you want to bone up on skills from the people who created the ACT, go to ACT.org. Who better to learn from than the people who are responsible for the test. If the math section is difficult for a student, they can try this math practice session to sharpen their math skills before taking this important college entrance exam.
  • Union Test Prep ACT Practice Test - Union Test Prep ACT offers several different practice tests in each of the core areas that will be tested on when students take the ACT. There's also a nice explanatory section that tells what to expect and the time limits on each test.
  • Free ACT Practice Tests - Kaptest.com has a unique approach to studying for the ACT. They feature an "ACT question of the day" every day on their site for test-takers. They also have some other tools that will help set the curve or at least score higher than a student would without it.
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Paying for College

  • Student Aid - Student Aid offers a helpful checklist that 12th-graders should use to see if they are prepared for their lives after high school. It includes reminders like remembering to work hard for scholarships as well as links to forms to start filling out the FAFSA application.
  • FAFSA - FAFSA is a great starting place to seeing what a student will qualify for when they apply for student aid for college. There is a list of all of the FAFSA deadlines, so students will be sure to get their information in on time as well as tips and information that should increase their knowledge on the process.
  • USA.gov - USA.gov is a US government site that provides information on what types of financial aid is available through government options. Students will be able to see what they're eligible for, too, based on some factors.
  • Wells Fargo Private Loans - Wells Fargo offers a number of private loans for new college students. They also offer credit for students and small businesses. There is good information on this site and even some helpful tips on how to plan for retirement.
  • Sallie Mae Private Loans - The Sallie Mae Loan Association has private loans for new or returning college students. This site teaches you how their organization works and check rates for undergraduate loans, career training student loans, and other financial loan options.
  • UW Info on Private Loans - The University of Washington has information on private loans on this page that features in-depth information on how to qualify for a student loan. Private loans are an excellent alternative to government loans, and they often feature lower interest rates. Check out the options here.
  • Pell Grants - If you are interested in applying for a Pell Grant, the Federal Student aid site is where you will find this application. They show students and parents the different types of grants and scholarships someone may qualify for. Remember, a Pell grant is money students don't have to pay back, so it's worth looking into.
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Mentorship Programs

  • College Greenlight - Mentorship programs have helped thousands of young people around the country to get a foothold on their college education even before they begin. Collegegreenlight.com helps connect to the people who can help most to connect to the right schools and careers.
  • The Coalition - If you need help planning your college program, Coalition for College Access can help. They are a network of 140 colleges and universities that can help get college programs started to help students meet their goals.
  • Fair Opportunity Project - The Fair Opportunity Project is dedicated to helping students find the best college opportunities to help connect students to colleges that help them focus on their career goals. The send the application to over 64,000 public schools across the country, so be looking for this opportunity for students who are still in high school.
  • College Vine - College Vine shows parents how a mentor can provide many benefits including how to increase the chances of getting into the colleges the student wants. Mentoring is an excellent way to get to know the ropes before entering college.
  • Teen Life - Teen Life can help with information about how mentors can help students succeed in getting into college, read this interesting blog post by Teen Life. Mentors can help people understand how things work and give entrants an edge as they enter college.
  • ScholarMatch - Scholar Match studies the data of over 1,400 schools to see which ones will match best with career goals. Their mission is to focus on helping underserved students.
  • U Strive - U Strive is a program that is dedicated to connecting students to mentors in real time. They have real-time college coaching, track Strive scores, and find quality tutoring and help.
  • National Mentoring Resource Center - The National Mentoring Resource Center can help centralize all of the mentoring resources in one place. There is free technical support and assistance and be able to research the things needed to know to move forward with college goals. Check out this site today.
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Scholarships

  • Fast Web College Scholarships - Fast Web is a great resource to research scholarship opportunities. Learn about mentoring and scholarship opportunities all in one place and get the help needed to help students to prepare for college and beyond.
  • Army ROTC - The Army ROTC has always been a great program for students who wish to combine their college education with Army training. They will help train students to be a US Army officer if that is the student's goal.
  • Girl Scouts - The American Girl Scout Program has been around for many years helping shape the lives of young girls and women. Now they offer scholarships for girls who have served as girl scouts to recognize their skills and encourage greatness among girls across America.
  • Raise Me - Raise Me is an innovative approach to earning a college scholarship by allowing high school students to win "micro-scholarships." Also, a student can track their progress through some simple steps that they take them through on the site.
  • Scholly - Scholly is a great way to find the best scholarships for a college education. Students can sign up and apply for several and watch the deadlines so the student gets all applications in on time. There is even an online proofreader to make sure their essays are up-to-par.
  • Study Abroad - If your young person has always wanted an opportunity to study abroad, now they can. Study Abroad gives a comprehensive look at US government scholarships and programs that allow students to go overseas to study then return to use their skills.
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How to Prepare an Application

  • Big Future - If you need help preparing college applications for scholarships or grants, Big Future can help. This site also breaks a "things to do list" into just a few simple steps that can help your student get moving on their college career.
  • Parent Action Plan - Parents want to help their kids get into a good college. They want to help them succeed. Well, now you can help even more with this parent action plan from Big Future for seniors and their parents as kids prepare to go to college.
  • Khan Academy - Khan Academy helps many students succeed through their online courses and programs. This part of their site shows you how to help students apply to colleges of their choice and get accepted without the hassles.
  • Harvard Application Tips - One of the things students need the most when entering an Ivy League school like Harvard University is help from their admissions board. This information is available when you visit their site and learn these application requirements and tips.
  • The Common Application - Commonapp.org is all about preparing for college before you get there and that's important if you want to be successful. Start preparing as early as 9th grade and have a plethora of resources, too.
  • The Princeton Review - If parents are feeling a little lost on your young person’s college prep list, try these tips by The Princeton Review. They give straight practical advice through their blog and let you in on their admissions guide.
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