Resources on Financial Aid, Scholarships, Athletics and more...

We're have some terrific new resources for students and parents navigating the college admission process:

  • Hscounselorweek.com is a free weekly newsletter that aggregates stories, facts, and trends in college admission for high school college counselors, college admission officers, and related organizations. We've often found that some of the best information can be mined from resources aimed at these groups. One proviso -- there is a LOT of information here and some may feel overwhelmed by it.
  • Playnaia.org is the Eligibility Center for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the governing body for athletics programs at nearly 300 colleges and universities throughout the United States and Canada. Since fall 2011, any student interested in playing championship sports at an NAIA college needs to register and receive an eligibility determination.
  • Consumerfinance.gov/payingforcollege/ is the site for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's College Cost Comparison Tool, which helps families navigate financial aid offers and student loans by providing side-by-side cost comparisons of schools, tailored to your unique financial circumstances.  You enter up to three schools and a pop-up menu asks for the financial aid information you’ve received from the colleges. You then adjust your family’s contributions, input scholarships and military benefits, and other variables.  This site is currently in beta version but even so is a great starting point and provides more guidance than some other resources.
  • Collegesofdistinction.com is an online college search service. The schools included are nominated by high school counselors and judged on four factors: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant communities, and successful outcomes. The colleges here include both bold-faced names and hidden gems. The site also includes information on the application process including self-assessment tools.
  • Ronbrown.org  is the website for the Ron Brown Scholar Fund, a 501(c)3 public charity.  Named for the late Secretary of Commerce and inspired by his dedication to public service, the Ron Brown Scholar Program was established in 1996 to provide academic scholarships, service opportunities and leadership experiences for young African Americans of outstanding promise.
  • Scholarshipedia.org  is an comprehensive and well-organized online resource for scholarships -- listing scholarships by deadline and success-rate based on student feedback.
  • Youcango.collegeboard.org is an interactive site specifically aimed at under resourced students, featuring expert advice, inspirational student videos, and interactive tools.
  • Ope.ed.gov/security/ collects campus crime statistics and is linked to the Department of Education's Federal Student Aid site and the National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator website. While this is information that students and parents may want to be aware of for the colleges on their list, read with caution as there are some concerns about how the information is reported.

These sites are now part of our comprehensive resource list which you can find here.

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