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College Readiness Resources

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Pursue College Education with Confidence

Discover articles, information and resources that will help equip students with the knowledge needed to confidently select, prepare, apply, enroll and succeed in college.


Graduation Caps

A Video from Michelle Obama to Families & Students



Here's a special message to parents and families from Michelle Obama, courtesy of our friends at .

Don't miss their  where you can find additional information about applying to college, understanding financial aid, and learning more about fee waivers.



Choosing the Right School

College Visits

 - College visits are probably the most informative part of the college application process. When it comes to researching potential schools, there’s no better place to start.

 - For students who are in the process of researching a variety of colleges and universities, admissions professionals recommend scheduling campus visits to get a better feel for the schools.

 - Exploring campuses is well worth your while. You don’t have to travel far — visiting local colleges can be just as valuable -if you’re prepared.

 - College visits can be a crucial and eye-opening time in a student’s life. It’s a time when the idea of college starts to become real for most visitors – “Wow, that could be me.â€

 - The most important information you need to know in order to map out college visits that give you a chance to really get to know your colleges of choice.

Finding the Right Fit

 - School culture matters. Figuring out what’s important to you will help you narrow the field and you may discover some options that hadn’t even been on your radar!

 - There’s no magic formula for choosing a college, but there are steps you can take to find a good fit. Use this tool to start your journey.

 - Choosing a college is stressful and making sure you make the right decision can often feel like a daunting task. To help out with the process, here are some common mistakes to avoid along the way.

 - Try this college match calculator.

 - Wavering between different options? Take a look at this school comparison tool!


Preparing for College

Taking AP Classes and CLEP Tests

 - For more than 40 years, College Board has been providing the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam series to help students earn college credit with their existing knowledge. Learn more here.

 - CLEP exams cover intro-level college course material in 33 subjects. A passing score on a CLEP exam can save you hours of class time and significant tuition costs.

 - Why take an Advanced Placement class? Here are five ways AP classes can be a smart choice.

 - What are AP classes, and what do you and your teen need to know about them? Education Matters spoke to a number of education experts to learn more.

 - There are 38 AP subject exams. Not sure which AP subjects are right for you? Learn how to choose AP courses.

Preparation Timeline

 - A guide for parents and students as they prepare for the transition to college academics.

 - Colleges care about the classes you take every year until high school graduation, so should you sign up for AP Calculus and AP Physics the same year? Or, take it easy early on, and then pile on the challenging work junior year?

 - Explore this information to help you prepare for college.

 - Follow these steps to make sure you're ready when classes begin.

 - Whether you’re a student or parent, these college planning timelines will keep you on track and in the know throughout high school. Helpful, step-by-step tips cover everything from taking the right classes to filling out college forms on time!

 - Find out how you can help your child prepare for college, explore majors and careers, pay for college, and more with our easy to follow action plans.

 - You and your child should start planning for college no later than middle school. Here are seven steps your child and family should take.

 - There’s no one right way to handle the college planning process as a parent. Your ideal level and type of involvement in preparing your child for college will depend on your child’s individual needs. However, students definitely benefit when their parents play an active role.

Taking the SAT/ACT

 - Debating when you should take the SAT or ACT? Your perfect test date comes down to scheduling and planning-start here!

 - Everything you need to know before you walk in to take the SAT.

 - Looking for study tips to help you on the SAT or ACT? You’ve come to the right place. This list of test-taking strategies will prepare you for either test—and boost your scores.

 - Looking for some quick fixes to improve your ACT scores? Look no further. In this article, we give you several tips and tricks for the ACT so that you can get your best possible scores on every section.

 - Can’t make up your mind about taking the ACT test? Don’t throw in the towel just yet. There are valuable benefits of taking the ACT, so it’s actually worth the effort.

Getting the Most Out of College Fairs

 - A college fair is a gathering of college representatives who are looking for the right students for their institutions. They’re there to spread the word about their college to high school students — and they want to talk to you.

 - Every year, there are college fairs across the country. These fairs can be valuable tools to help you as you try to figure out which colleges you want to apply to, and eventually, which college you want to attend.

 - Whether you’re narrowing down your list of colleges or just starting your college search, college fairs are an excellent (and usually free!) resource to take advantage of to gather information about schools you’re interested in and get a feel for them without having to visit each campus.


Applying to College

Talking to Admissions Counselors

 - How are you supposed to talk to admission counselors—they might hold your whole college future in their hands? Luckily, they’re usually really nice, and it’s not that hard to chat with them in person or send them an e-mail.

 - Here are the top 10 ways to annoy the admissions office. Consider this list a guide of what NOT to do when you apply to college.

 - Here’s more advice on good questions you can ask college admissions counselors, as well as questions for your tour guide or any other students you meet on campus.

 - Whether you are an underclasswoman with a top choice college already or a senior who just got deferred, knowing when and how to communicate with the admissions office can directly impact your admissions decision. Sometimes a short email at the perfect time can seal the deal.

Filling Out College Applications

 - It’s easy to get stressed out about college admission. But try to keep things in perspective. Here are some points to think about as you go through the process.

 - While the application process may seem a little overwhelming, you can use the following information to get ready and figure out your next steps.

 - Here's what prospective undergraduates need to know about completing a college application.

 - Each college has its own specific application process.  Some have a unique form, while others rely on the Common Application.  Included is a step-by-step walkthrough of the Common Application to give you a sense of what is included.

 - If you're a high school junior or senior, this guide will provide you with clear explanations for each of the key components to a successful college application.


Paying for College

How to Afford College for Your Child

 - Tips on saving, paying, and borrowing.

 - From cosigning a student loan to using retirement money to cover college expenses, there are several strategies parents need to consider before the college year begins.

 - Your child gets into college — maybe even their top choice — and you are thrilled. There's just one problem: you don't have enough saved up. You want to help pay for their education but can't afford to. What options do you have?

 - Paying for college is a challenge for most families and often involves pulling from a variety of sources – from financial aid to savings.

 - How to pay for higher education when you don't have much time to plan.

Financial Aid Resources

 - While the application process may seem a little overwhelming, you can use the following information to get ready and figure out your next steps.

 - Choosing the best college to attend is hard, but paying for college is an entirely new test. Our tips, tools, and expert advice can help students navigate student loans, scholarships, grants, the FAFSA, and overall financial aid planning.

 - Tight economy. College tuition increasing at 6 percent a year. More and more, the ability to go to college depends on how much financial aid you can get.

 - Taking on any debt isn't ideal. However, student loans may be the one thing that will make your collegiate dreams possible. Therefore, it bears getting to know student loans now so you can decide which solutions are best for your situation.

 - The official site for Federal Student Aid.

Finding Scholarships and Grants

 - Find all of your scholarships here!

 - The government, colleges and private organizations provide money to help students cover college costs. This financial aid comes in several forms. One form is scholarships — gifts of money that does not need to be paid back.


Succeeding in College

Pros and Cons of Taking a Gap Year

 - Read what some experts have to say about it here.

 - While taking a gap year may be the right choice for some students, it could have negative ramifications for others. Before you take the year off it is important to carefully weigh the pros and cons of your decision and the effect it may have on your college application.

 - Before deciding on a year off before college, it’s important to assess your reasons for the change and to make sure you spend your time in an engaging way that meets these aims.

 - For some high school seniors, putting college on hold could be just the right thing.

 - A gap year is a year spent taking time off between life stages. Learn more about the what and why.

Helpful Tips and Advice

 - We recently asked readers to share their best piece of advice for those graduating from high school or college, and we received dozens of responses via e-mail and social media.

 - Here are those nuggets of sisterly advice, good for any student embroiled in the college search or already moved into the dorms.

 - Here’s a collection of college tips and bits of info.

 - A lot of factors go into the college search, so where do you start? Here are 20 things that really helped me in my college search and on my path of choosing a university.

 - They’re privileged, pivotal years. Navigate them with as much care as you did the path that got you there.

Motivating and Talking to My Child About College

 - The top three college-related conversations parents should have with their students in middle school or as they transition to high school. 

 - Here are a number of things parents can do to help motivate kids to try harder.

 - Here are a few things to think about.

-  one of Seed Trainings' most popular courses and it's a surefire way to stimulate more meaningful conversations with your kids.



Additional Resources for ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøand PTSAs

Share these resources with parents and students to help them identify options for future success in post-secondary institutions.

  •  â€“ Use these tips to write an awesome college application essay.

  • How College Ready Are You? - Listen to this National ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøNotes from the Backpack podcast episode to learn concrete strategies and essential information to help you make smart college decisions.

  •  â€“ The SAT Subject Tests can be tricky. Check out these tips on how to prepare.

  •  â€“ Use tools like this free online tool to prepare for the ACTs.

  •  â€“ Use this tool to find the right college for you.

  •  â€“ Before going on college visits, check out this guide for tips on things like when to go, what to pay attention to, and how to prepare.

  •  â€“ Avoid issues with filling out the FAFSA by reading this guide.

  •  â€“ Learn more about how to plan for getting financial aid.

  •  â€“ Check out these resources for parents on how to support your students in applying, paying, and preparing for college.

  •  â€“ Use this database to look for online degree programs.

  • - This guide offers in depth information for low-income students including information related to FAFSA, housing, nutrition, academic, and health resources. Also included are specific grants and scholarships, a list of colleges that offer free or reduced tuition for low-income students and organizations that help low-income students apply to and succeed in college.