Freshman to seniors, we all have questions and dreams of college. These sites will help you understand what colleges and majors are best for you, and will probably help you make your final decisions. From Financial Aid links to lists of Liberal Arts Universities, it’s all here.
First Step: College Board
College sites can be personalized for you! If you are in high school, it is the perfect time to get a head start on your college plans. Don’t be overwhelmed by all the questions you have to answer, because there are many sites that will help you decide what major and colleges are right for you. College Board is the first step in your college planning process, because it will help you in many things from AP Testing to college applications.
The College Board is a national US organization that handles AP Testing, PSAT and SAT. They have a personalized college planning site (click here to learn more about all the amazing features they have, including a personalized college search and Financial Aid profiles.)
This is an extremely helpful website, and most kids do sign up for it during their high school career. Make sure you sign up for a free account!
A link to an article explaining the different useful and not so useful features of the College Board Website.
The College Board: The Good, Bad and the Ugly.
A “major” is a fancy word for what you would like to do when you get to college. Majors can range from Petroleum Engineering to Digital Art to Fiber Science. Follow these steps to help you understand your strong points and interests, so you can pick a major, and ultimately, a career. Use your prospective majors to decide on a college.
Step 1: Career Quizzes
Career Quizzes analyze your likes and dislikes and come up with a list of careers that will be suitable for you. Remember that the results or only suggestions, and no computer can really analyze who you are, but these are great sites to help you get started.
CA Career Zone Interest Profiler
Career Quiz Princeton Review
Step Three: Deciding On A College:
After selecting prospective majors, it is now the time to narrow your college options. There are about two thousand colleges in the United States, and this does not include international and community colleges. So which one is right for you? It’s easier to decide on a major first, so look up above for help with deciding career interests and majors. If you already have an idea of what colleges you’re interested in, these sites can help you make your decisions.
- After you have created a college board account, click the College Search tab. The College Board will give you a series of questions such as what type of housing you would prefer and what majors you need at a college, and will search thousands of college and display results matching your preferences.
College Prowler has a tool that will allow you to compare multiple colleges based on academics, athletics, housing, dining, parking etc. They use a ranking system of A-F on each of these categories. If you have a couple colleges in mind, use this tool to help you understand which one will be the best for you.
Accredited Schools Online: Online education used to be reserved for students enrolled at for-profit colleges and universities. Yet today, hundreds of schools with full accreditation make quality online learning a reality for millions. Whether in kindergarten, middle school or looking to move up with a master’s, see how accredited online schools can make a difference.
Accredited and Online Colleges: The search tool below has been designed to help below simplify the process of comparing online colleges and programs. Users can evaluate distance learning options based on important factors such as enrollment, tuition, and academic program availability. Armed with this information, students can make an informed decision about which online university fits their personal, educational, and professional needs.
Step 4: Financial Aid and Scholarships:
Find Out If You Are Eligible For Financial Aid:
Find out where schools rank in terms of affordability.
College Affordability Guide: The College Affordability Guide analyzed over 10 million data points related to the 5,000+ colleges and universities in the US, to find the ones that offer both financial accessibility (the lowest costs for low and middle income students, as well as flexibility in learning & credit), and positive outcomes.
These sites are for Financial Aid and Academic/Athletic scholarships:
Amador Valley Scholarships: Scholarships awarded to graduating seniors at the following high schools in Pleasanton, California: Foothill, Amador Valley, Village
Community of Character Collaborative: Juanita Haugen Memorial Scholarship
Check your high school’s Career Center because they post scholarship opportunities as they hear about them. Amador Valley High School’s Career Center is open 9-1 and Foothill High School’s Career Center is open 9-2.
Be sure to also check big company websites. Around the summer, companies like Target offer scholarship opportunities that can be academic based or for anyone. There is a wide variety of requirements, from essays to video submissions.
Masters Degrees
Guide to Online Master’s Programs- http://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/degrees/masters-programs/
Guide to Online PHD Programs- http://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/degrees/doctorate-programs/