family resources…
determining college costs
and
applying for
financial aid
Expected Family Contribution Calculator
This calculator uses the information the FAFSA will use to determine your eligibility for financial aid.
Net Price Calculator Search Tool
This U.S. Department of Education site will direct you to individual college net price calculators you can use to estimate what your family cost would be at different colleges after scholarships and grants.
Federal Student Financial Aid Website/FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is used to apply for financial aid for college or graduate school.
The College Board’s CSS profile tool is used by many colleges to determine financial aid outside of the federal financial aid program.
scholarship
search engines
Many high schools use Naviance to manage the college application process. You may also find scholarship opportunities on the site using your school login.
The FastWeb scholarship match search engine is a helpful starting point when looking for a variety of scholarship opportunities.
GoingMerry is a scholarship search that uses your profile to match you to possible scholarships.
The CB scholarship search allows you to search by special interest, potential profession, and other background criteria.
The Scholarship Sharing site is a collection of scholarship resources from search engine to tips on tracking opportunities.
The Unigo search engine links to a variety of scholarships including those sponsored by Unigo.
Capex allows you to search for scholarships that are available for students at individual colleges as well as opportunities based on student profiles.
college search
databases
College Navigator uses the latest data from The National Center for Education Statistics in its college search engine.
The College Scorecard tool from the U.S. Department of Education allows you to compare programs, outcomes, and admissions across several schools.
The CollegeBoard search engine is easy to use and a good starting point based on your general criteria.
College profiles featured on the Cappex site are visually appealing and link directly to virtual campus tours.
College Data provides a variety of resources related to financial aid, in addition to its personalized search engine.
The Niche college search engine includes student reviews which may be helpful in determining the feel of a campus.
virtual campus
visits
The CampusReel college tours are filmed by students on campus. The tours are helpful for seeing dorms, classrooms, and common areas in use.
CampusTours includes a search engine that locates virtual tours and campus maps and most colleges.
gap years
The teen life search feature contains over 10,000 summer, gap year, and volunteer opportunities.
The Gap Year Association site is filled with information on structuring your gap year and finding programs that meet your goals.
summer planning
TeenLife Summer Program Directory
The TeenLife directory allows you to search for summer opportunities based on length of commitment, area of interest, cost, and location.
The VolunteerMatch search engine searches for volunteer opportunities in your local area and virtual positions.
The School of Creative and Performing Arts runs visual and performing arts summer camps for teens. Most camps are in NYC, Los Angeles, Vermont, and online programs.
Pioneer Academics facilitates research and educational opportunities for students looking to work with university professors.
test prep
Khan Academy provides SAT practice tests and preparation based on the student’s test results.
The ACT site includes free practice tests and preparation materials as well as links to Kaplan’s ACT prep curriculum.
The IXL personalized ACT study plan and practice problems are particularly useful for students who already use IXL as part of their school math program.
“Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.”
- Robert Frost