Resources for College Admission
My goal as a college counselor is to ease families’ anxiety around the college admission process and help students find colleges where they can truly thrive. While I value working one-on-one with students, I also understand that hiring a college counselor isn’t an option for every family. I’m sharing these resources to support all families as they navigate the college search and application journey.
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ACT
The ACT is a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States.
Use this link to register to take the ACT.
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BigFuture
Big Future is sponsored by the College Board that also offers the SAT, PSAT, and AP exams. Big Future is a great site to explore careers, learn about majors and different colleges, search for scholarships, and get tips on how to stay on track.
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CFNC
College for North Carolina is similar to Big Future but focuses only on colleges in North Carolina. It also houses the Residency Determination Service and NC College Connect as well as is home to North Carolina’s 529 plan and some scholarships.
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College Essay Guy
This site and his youtube videos have TONS of information about how to craft a strong application from beginning to end.
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College Scorecard
This is a federal website that allows individuals to compare up to ten colleges at once on a variety of different data points to inform decision-making.
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Colleges That Change Lives
Learn about some colleges that do not have big names but are making a big difference in the lives of their students.
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CommonApp
Many college applications are submitted via CommonApp. This site also has numerous resources that help students create a strong application.
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CommonDataSet
This is a standardized list of questions and definitions used by colleges and universities to report consistent information.
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Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges
Look here for information on public liberal arts colleges.
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CSS Profile
The CSS Profile is housed on the College Board’s website. It is a more comprehensive tool that is used by some scholarship programs and colleges to award non-federal institutional aid.
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FAFSA
Students will need to use this website to create a Federal Student Aid ID (a.k.a. FSA ID) that they will use to sign their FAFSA which can also be found at this website. Students must complete the FAFSA if they are applying for any type of financial aid at a college.
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FAFSA Estimator
This website has a tool that allows you to estimate the outcome of your FAFSA prior to the time that the FAFSA opens in your teen’s senior year.
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FairTest
This website shares a list of colleges that do not require standardized tests as part of the admission process.
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I’m First!
This website has lots of resources for students who are the first generation in their family to go to and graduate from a four year college.
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Matchlighters Scholars Program
This program is sponsored by one of my favorite college counselors. It pairs highly motivated students from low-income households with experienced college counselors for free support.
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Net Price Calculator (NPC)
This is a tool that allows current and prospective students, families and other consumers to estimate the net price of attending a particular college or career school. All U.S. colleges that participate in federal student aid programs are required to have a NPC on their website.
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SAT
The SAT is a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States.
Use this link to register to take the SAT.
Tips for Families
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Schedule a time once a week to talk about college. Keep the college creep out of other conversations throughout the week.
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Make your car and dinner table a college free zone.
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When you take the college trip that is intense, add something every day (take a walk in a park, get some ice cream, check out an independent book store, etc.) that is not college related.
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The transition to college is a stressful time. Enjoy your teen without letting the college stress dominate your relationship.
Some of my favorite books include:
Where You Go Is Not Who You Will Be by Frank Bruni
Dream School: Finding the College That’s Right For You by Jeffrey Selingo
Who Gets in and Why?: A Year Inside College Admissions by Jeffrey Selingo
There Is Life After College: What Parents and Students Should Know About Navigating School to Prepare for the Jobs of Tomorrow by Jeffrey J. Selingo
The College Finder: Choosing the School That’s Right for You by Steven R. Antonoff, Ph.D.
College Match: A Blueprint for Choosing the Best School for You by Steven R. Antonoff, Ph.D.
The Price You Pay for College: An Entirely New Road Map for the Biggest Financial Decision Your Family Will Ever Make by Ron Lieber
