When getting ready to apply for college, it’s important to do your research. Here are some links you could use to get you started, as well as a brief description of how each one will help you!
Financial Resources
FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is always the #1 place everyone tells you to start–and for good reason. You might be sick of hearing/reading the name by the time you embark on your college journey, but this is by far the best resource to get free money to help pay for college!
FastWeb
A free profile will let you search for thousands of ways to get money for college, including grants, scholarships, promotions/contests, and the occasional specialized loan. Spending some time here can turn college attendance from a dream into a reality!
CPS Scholarship Guide
A complete resource packet with lists of scholarships to apply to as well as their requirements, planning advice, and a list of even more resources to look at if you need more information.
Affordable Schools Online
Aside from, yes, having a list of cheap colleges to attend, this website also has resources for financial planning as well as a list of ways you can pay for college. A great place to start!
General Resources
Finding Your Best Fit
A lot of websites talk about “your list of colleges,” but how do you put that together? The Princeton Review offers you some ideas.
Big Future
After years of being one the best college resources but being really difficult to navigate, College Board has finally put together an awesome website with all of the information about college that was previously scattered all over their site. You can search for colleges, get advice both at the start and throughout your search, and even look at ways to pay for college or improve your SAT scores.
Online Courses
If you’re nervous about taking a college-level class, undecided as to what you would like to study, or simply looking to learn more about a new topic, you can use this website to look at courses available online and test the waters.