Resources

Although FinnEd is here to assist the process – it is the STUDENT who best knows what they need from a college. We encourage students and families to access these sites for an in-depth look at the schools they are considering as well as learning about various volunteer, internship or summer opportunities.

SAT & ACT RESOURCES

SAT online Register for the SAT Exam
ACT online Register for the ACT Exam
Colleges not Requiring SAT/ACT Fair Test.org Test optional schools
SAT-ACT Comparison Compare scores on the two exams
College Board Access information on the PSAT/SAT and AP exams as well as register for the CSS Profile – a financial form required by some colleges

COURSES AND TUTORIALS

Arbor Bridge Online test prep and Tutoring
Coursera College coursework online from top Colleges and Universities
Huntington Learning Center Tutoring and Standardized Test Prep
Sylvan Learning Center Test Prep and Tutoring

SCHOOL RESEARCH

Fiske Guide to Colleges Detailed school profiles that shed light on what each school is really like—from academics to social life and more
College Board Register for PSAT, SAT and AP Exams
Niche College Search colleges by different categories
U.S. News and World Report – College Rankings
Unigo College reviews and ratings as well as scholarship search
You Visit Virtual Campus Tours Virtual Campus tours
PayScale College ROI College listings and their return on investment

Women’s College Coalition The Women’s College Coalition (WCC) is the association and voice for women’s colleges in the United States and Canada
Princeton Review – College Search Find the right college for you. Search colleges by cost, size, location, and more to find your best fit
College Board – College Search College Board Search Engine
Colleges That Change Lives Institutions that could be the right fit, especially for those seeking more personal experiences with challenging academics in undergraduate environments that are more collaborative in nature

APPLICATIONS

The Common Application Apply to almost 700 colleges with one application
Universal College Application Lets you apply to more than one college at a time
CAAS – Coalition Application Free online planning tools that help students learn about, prepare and apply to college

COLLEGE BOUND ATHLETES

NCAA National Collegiate Athletic Association
NCAA Clearinghouse Where to register as a college athlete

CAMPUS NEWSPAPER DIRECTORIES

World Newspapers – College Directory A directory of college newspapers online.
Yahoo US College Newspapers Directory Search engine directory of college newspapers.

FINANCIAL AID

Trends in College Pricing (College Board) This annual College Board report provides current data on the average cost of attendance at public and private colleges, as well as data about average financial aid awards
Private College Affordability Initiatives The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities maintains a database of private colleges that have announced initiatives to keep college costs under control during the economic downturn
Federal Student Aid Portal for Students S. Department of Education financial aid portal for students and parents
National Association of Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) Good resource for staying current with financial aid changes and legislation affecting financial aid
FinAid Hundreds of articles and tools on financial aid, paying for college
College Board: Paying for College Articles and information on financial aid for students and parents. Information on the CSS Profile. List of colleges and scholarships requiring the CSS Profile
College Savings Plans Network National non-profit organization focusing on 529 plans. Website provides tools for comparing 529 Plans from across the country
FAFSA4Caster The Federal Government’s calculator for FAFSA EFC
College Board EFC Calculators The College Board offers calculators for Institutional Methodology (CSS Profile) and Federal Methodology – Financial Aid Form required by some colleges
Financial Relief & Discount Guide For Low Income Students
English-Spanish Glossary of Financial Aid Terms

SCHOLARSHIP RESOURCES
Note: Some of the sites below require students to register and provide personal information

Best Colleges for Merit Scholarships U.S. News & World Report listing
College Board Scholarship Search Extensive College Scholarship Search
College Net Keyword Scholarship Search Engine
FastWeb Free matching service for scholarships
Scholarships.com 4 million scholarships, along with other financial aid, including grants and internships, totaling nearly $6 billion
Colleges and Universities That Award Merit Aid New York Times

GENERAL RESEARCH/DIVERSE POPULATIONS

National College Fairs College fair listings
National Writing Project Improving literacy and writing in schools
Coalition for Christian Colleges & Universities Listing of Christian Colleges
Hillel Jewish Campus Organization
Catholic Colleges and Universities in the United States Listing of Catholic Colleges and Universities
Essays That Worked Examples of Essays that worked from Connecticut College. *a GOOGLE search of essays that worked will allow you to look at examples from numerous schools
Women’s Colleges Coalition Listing of all female colleges
Best Historically Black Colleges and Universities – College Choice
Canadian School Rankings Listing of Canadian Schools
Bureau of Indian Education Scholarships and Grants Resources for Native Americans
American Indian College Fund College Helping Native Americans access Higher Education
Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund Scholarship listings and College Planning
Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals Listing of LGBTQA Campus Centers
Gates Millennium Scholars Scholarship program for minority scholars with significant financial need
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Listing of Hispanic serving Colleges as well as scholarships
United Negro College Fund Scholarships for Black students
White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities Listing of Black Colleges and Universities

DISABILITIES AND LEARNING DIFFERENCES

Best Colleges College Resources for those with Disabilities
College Resources Information for Students with Disabilities
Americans with Disabilities Act Information and Technical Assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act
Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Advocacy organization for Children and Adults with ADHD
Learning Disabilities Online Educators Guide to LD
Learning Disabilities Association of America Helping those with an LD succeed
National Center for Learning Disabilities Advocacy and Scholarships
Internet Navigation for individuals with Low Vision or Blindness

OTHER RESOURCES

INTERNSHIP/VOLUNTEER/SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES

Internship Opportunities

The following programs are traditionally full time, during the summer, or may serve as a gap year (the year after high school but before college) – Some of those listed are volunteer programs

Adelante Internships and Study Abroad
Castle Rock Institute Credit outdoor through Brevard College, North Carolina
City Year National Service Program serving underserved communities
Cool Works Jobs and Volunteer work in U.S.
Corporation for National Service National Community Service Organization
Cosmic Volunteers Volunteer abroad
Dynamy Residential, personalized GAP Year program in Worcester, MA.
European College for Liberal Studies Private European College with programs in Europe and Asia
Hidden Villa Non-Profit, organic farm located in Los Altos Hills, California that offers community programs and educational courses for students
International Partnership for Service Learning The mission of IPSL is to engage students, educators, and community members in the union of service and learning
Internship Programs Internship Listings
Maine Photo Shop Workshops for teens interested in media arts
National Association of Service and Conservation Corps Comprehensive programs that provide young adults and veterans with job training, academic programming, leadership training
Northwest Boat Building School The only traditional boat building school in the world
Operation Crossroads Africa in Namibia Private voluntary organization that sponsors cross-cultural exchanges and small-scale service projects in Africa
Oxford Tutorial College High school study abroad program
Peace Corps International volunteer program
Project USE Experiential education programs
Round River Conservation ecology for credit
St. Clare’s College, Oxford Summer programs for teens
Santa Reparata One of the best art and design schools in the world offering summer programs and study abroad
Sargent Camp/Nature Classroom A residential environmental education program, located at fourteen wonderful sites in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island
School of Field Studies Environmental field studies internships
Seamester Offers educational study aboard and gap year semester at sea programs for college students and high school graduates.
Slide Ranch School programs in farming, cooking and caring for animals on the California coast
SOLO and Wilderness Medical Institute and Wilderness Medical Associates Wilderness First Responder Programs
Speos Photography school in Paris
Student Conservation Association National nonprofit specializing in conservation and service opportunities for youth
USAC University Study Abroad Programs
Wild Rockies Field Institute Educational adventure coursework
Wildlands Studies Field studies programs for college credit

MILITARY SCHOOL RESOURCES

MAJOR-SPECIFIC RESOURCES

Mark Your Calendar