Recommended Resources

We are frequently asked for recommendations on websites, tools, training, resources and services available to help you learn How to Get Accepted, Pay For and Succeed at the College of Your Choice.

To help you with your College Planning, we have created this list of recommended resources to help you along the way.

We will add new resources when we find them.
 

MUST SEE RESOURCES

 

CollegeBoard.org – The College Board is your one-stop shop for everything college planning. You’ll register for and receive scores on SATs and AP exams, and also find college planning resources

Common App – Almost 500 colleges and universities accept the common application. Most likely, your son or daughter will apply to multiple schools that accept the common app, so you will find yourself on this website.

FAFSA – All students who want a chance to qualify for financial aid need to fill out the FAFSA. That literally stands for, “Free Application for Student Aid.” This is where your financial aid process starts.

The ACT – The ACT (originally an abbreviation of American College Testing) college readiness assessment is a standardized test for high school achievement and college admissions in the United States produced by ACT, Inc

Federal Student AID – This is the premier government websites to help you get ready for college or career school, learn about federal student aid and how to apply using the FAFSA, and get information on repaying student loans

www.fairtest.org – There are 850+ Colleges and Universities That Do Not Use SAT/ACT Scores to Admit Substantial Numbers of Students Into Bachelor Degree Programs. This list includes institutions that are “test optional,” “test flexible” or otherwise de-emphasize the use of standardized tests by making admissions decisions about substantial numbers of applicants who recently graduated from U.S. high schools without using the SAT or ACT.

Prompt.com –  Rock your college application essays with professor-quality feedback from Prompt. It’s affordable – only $29 for a 650-word Common App essay, and fast with feedback delivered in 6 hours. Prompt has helped students get into nearly every top-50 university and earn millions in scholarships. Best part? You can try Prompt for free!

 

SAT and ACT PREPARATION

 

PRINCETON REVIEW – Princeton Review is known best for its test prep resources. You’ll find resources for PSAT, SAT, ACT, and even higher level tests for graduate school. On top of that, they have college rankings, study abroad tips, and more.

KAPLAN – Kaplan Test Prep sells preparation materials for standardized tests through tutoring, on-site classes, asynchronous and live programs, print books, and digital products. With programs for individuals, schools, and businesses, Kaplan Test Prep offers preparation for more than 90 standardized tests.

James Maroney – A Higher SAT score not only increases your child’s chances of being accepted by his or her target college, but also increases the probability of him or her being awarded an Academic Scholarship for College.

Score at the Top – Score At The Top comprises several family-owned, full-service learning centers and schools throughout Palm Beach and Broward Counties. For over 30 years, we have provided an integrated array of academic support and guidance services to students of all ages.

Daniel Riseman – At Riseman Education, we work with students on a one-to-one basis in your home. Working with a student in a familiar learning environment reduces stress and saves valuable after-school travel time. We are located in Westchester County, New York.

3MT Test Prep – Our mission at 3MT Test Prep is to give every student the advantage of a general ACT prep course that will both calm anxieties and provide strategies to improve test scores.

 

FINANCIAL AID

 

Studentaid.gov – This huge US Department of Education website has information about Federal Grants, Student Loans, How to apply, and Who Gets Government Financial aid Loan Repayment Options.

FAFSA – All students who want a chance to qualify for financial aid need to fill out the FAFSA. That literally stands for, “Free Application for Federal Student Aid.” This is where your financial aid process starts.

CSS profile -Several hundred colleges require the CSS profile in addition to the FAFSA. Check with your college to see if it is required.

NICCP – The National Institute of Certified College Planners – The NICCP educates, trains, and certifies, our member CPA’s, Enrolled Agents, CFP’s, Registered Investment Advisors, Wealth & Retirement Planners, Financial Advisors, Lenders and other licensed financial professionals as the only advisors qualified to give advice on the financial aspects of paying for college. Find a Certified College Planning Specialist in your area.

Chuck Drawbaugh -College Funding Associates is here to help families minimize the time, energy, and stress associated with the financial aid process.

Robert E Frohlking -We take the stress out of paying for college. We use sound business planning and proven techniques to help your family make college affordable without sacrificing your retirement or disrupting your current lifestyle.

Timothy Parros – Don’t “shoot from the hip” when financing college, and don’t be one of those families who arbitrarily choose to pay for tuition out-of-pocket or with a bunch of loans. Parros College Planning can show you a better way.

The Simple Dollar – The Simple Dollar was created to help people learn and make better financial decisions by leveraging a data-driven approach along with real life experiences of industry experts.

 

SCHOLARSHIPS

 

Fastweb.com – Check out this website for information about private scholarships and how to apply for them.

Finaid.org – The SmartStudent TM Guide to Financial Aid. Lots of information on all aspects of Financial Aid.

Scholarships.com – Free college scholarship search and financial aid information resources.

 

LOANS

 

Federal Student Loans Learn About Federal Student Loans

 

COLLEGE COUNSELORS AND PLANNERS

 

Dewey Wilmot – Admissions Edge has provided professional tutoring and college admissions counseling services to high school students and their families since 1999.

East West College Counseling, LLP – Providing full service and concierge specific counseling services for those HS students looking to optimize their preparation and their application process for admission to college and university.

Dr. Norman Smith – As an educator for the past 25 years, Dr. Norman Smith has been guiding students and their parents through the admissions process of universities both in Canada and in the United States.

Wendie Lubic – College Consulting to help lower stress and find the right school for your teen and your budget.

Dr. Joie Jager-Hyman – College Prep 360 students find it easy to write outstanding college applications because we help them become outstanding people.

Drusilla (Dee) Blackman – How would you like to have the former Dean of Admissions at Harvard and Columbia working with you? Get The Ivy Dean™ on your team today for the best in selective college admissions!

Janice Caine – Custom College Visits is the world’s leading expert helping families plan multi-day college tours and on-campus visits for college bound teens and their parents.

Nadine S Green – “We make the #CollegeJourney easy…” At the College Advisor Network For U, we assist in research in order to develop a college list based on your needs, work with you on the application process and closely collaborate with other professionals to ease the process.

Paul Lloyd Hemphill – Planning-For-College positions students to be irresistible to the college long before they see grades, test scores or athletic ability, thereby increasing the possibilities for admission and additional merit aid.

Betty Frohlking – Clear Light College Success can help you get Into the Right College and find the money to pay for it.

David Roux – Academic Life Coach – Helping Teens Navigate Life…Successfully! Helping Parents Guide Them Along the Way!

Future Quest, Inc – Future Quest, Inc. offers a full spectrum of planning and consulting services tailored primarily to college-bound high school students.

Magellan College Counseling – Magellan College Counseling helps high school students and their families navigate the college admissions process. We help students explore their strengths and interests, both inside and outside the classroom, build custom college lists, showing students how to effectively research colleges, and then help them narrow their lists down so they are balanced. Finally, we help students brainstorm and edit their essays so that they present their best self to the colleges that are the best fit for them.

Jennifer Kresock – Our goal is to ensure each student’s fullest potential in the admissions process can be reached. • Dedicated Personal Assistance — unlimited access through phone calls, emails and appointments.

Daniel Riseman – At Riseman Education, we work with students on a one-to-one basis in your home. Working with a student in a familiar learning environment reduces stress and saves valuable after-school travel time. We are located in Westchester County, New York.

Score at the Top – Score At The Top comprises several family-owned, full-service learning centers and schools throughout Palm Beach and Broward Counties. For over 30 years, we have provided an integrated array of academic support and guidance services to students of all ages.

Susie Watts – College Direction will help your child plan and prepare to get into the right colleges and receive help with the college search, applications and essays, and test prep.

Mara Patti – One2One College Consulting is a premier college consulting company. We believe in providing customized educational services to both students and parents.

 

SPORTS

 

NCAA – The official Website of the NCAA. Learn about eligibility, athletic recruiting and scholarships for NCAA member colleges and universities.

NAIA – The official Website of the NAIA. NAIA colleges and universities provide 60,000 student-athletes with opportunities to play college sports, earn $500 million in scholarships and compete in 23 national championships.

Jack Renkens – Founder of Recruiting Realities. Colleges can’t recruit you if they don’t know you exist! Jack has the answers to the questions that HS student athletes are asking.

 

CAREER SUCCESS

 

CandidCareer.com – We are the premier provider of thousands of informational video interviews featuring industry professionals through an easy to use website. Learn from the experiences of others.

 

EDUCATION and LEARNING

 

The Best 380 Colleges 2016 – The Princeton Review’s current book – Ranks Colleges in 62 different categories. Find out if your college is on the list!

Cracking the new SAT – 2016 Edition – The SAT is changing in March 2016. Learn how to prepare!

MCP, My Career Profile – Is an interactive career exploration and education planning system for High School students.

Christine VanDeVelde – Co-Author College Admission: From Applications to Acceptance, Step by Step

CandidCareer.com – We are the premier provider of thousands of informational video interviews featuring industry professionals through an easy to use website. Learn from the experiences of others.

LearningRx – They improve the brain skills needed to process information better and faster, improve memory, visualization, selective, sustained, and divided attention, and reading and reasoning skills.

Michael Ginsberg – Director at the Marlboro LearningRx Brain Training Center

The Simple Dollar – The Simple Dollar has published an investigative review of the most affordable online programs available based on the US News College Ranking report – taking into consideration only reputable and high quality education that most people would consider.

 

GAP YEAR

 

The American Gap Association – The central source for information about the GAP year.

Sandy Furth – World Student Support helps families identify appropriate schools and programs that meet the specific needs of their student, be it internationally or in the United States.

 

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

 

Study Horizons, International University Advising – StudyHorizons is dedicated to assisting clients in making appropriate university and career choices, as well as to supporting students through the often complicated university application process. Specializing in, but not limited to, English-language institutions and programs.

John Kim – We provide comprehensive college admission consulting services with unrivaled expertise on writing the most appealing application essays. As a testimony, we pride on the reference of essays that we have processed over the past 15 years, available on our website.

Thomas Shandorf – College Counseling and University Advising: USA and UK – We are a professional college advising service dedicated to helping students plan for and achieve admission to their “best fit” college or university.

 

OTHER RESOURCES

 

Church Hill Classics – You earned it, now Frame it! Design your Ultimate Diploma Frame.