College Planning   

 

COLLEGE COUNTDOWN
Find answers to commonly asked questions at College Countdown, and see what researchers, educators, and current college students have to say about the college process and preparation you will need! 

 

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Big Future is a college planning website hosted by collegeboard.com.  Many resources,

handouts and information to help you in your decision-making process to find out the

right fit for you.

 

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COLLEGE PLANNING CHECKLIST

Utilize a College Planning Checklist to help organize your plans and manage your decisions.  This checklist is courtesy of
OfftoCollege.com.  Here you will find many useful tools, guides, articles and more to help you with your planning.  You may also

use the Countdown to College Checklist provided by Charter One.

 

Another great college planning checklist and worksheet is offered by Cappex.com - called the Cappex College Fit Kit.  This

checklist is highly recommended and covers all the tasks, considerations, and responsibilities you will have when planning

for college!

FREE COLLEGE SUPPLIES

Better Love Yourself is committed to nurturing and supporting young college bound women and men. Our goal is to provide financial assistance, dorm starter trunks and mentors for students needing a helping hand. Though the generous support of our donors, we are able to provide supplemental scholarship for daily living, special projects and emergency funds. Our Dorm Starter Trunks are filled with supplies that come in handy for students. They include supplies such as detergent, towels, pens and paper, back packs that help students on a rainy day. Through our mentoring program, students are paired with adults who have been through the college experience. These individuals provide young students with advice and guidance on issues such as learning to cope with living on their own.

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COLLEGE MAJORS & PROGRAMS

Look here to find College Majors & Programs across the entire United States.  Choose the major you are interested in, then

choose the state(s) you are interested in going to college in - you will receive a list of all colleges and universities offering that

major in the state(s) selected, along with a link to the college website!  Convenience of research at your hands!

 

NEXT STEP U
At NextStepU.com, students find several interactive tools to help them through the college-planning process. Our Step by Step
college-planning timeline guides users through each to-do before college. The site also features a College Match tool, scholarship
search, vibrant college-planning community and free handouts for school counselors.

 

Also register for the free e-Mag where you can receive lots of helpful information directly to you!

 

 

 

WHAT WILL THEY LEARN
The search for the right college can be overwhelming. So many guides, so many rankings. There is one thing none of them will tell
you: which universities are making sure their students learn what they need to know.  This free resource does just that, focusing on
seven key areas of knowledge. It's designed to help you decide whether the colleges you're considering prepare their graduates to
succeed after graduation. Explore What Will They Learn!

 

 

KNOW THE TRANSITION

Read High School vs College - Know the differences and similarities to increase your confidence upon your transition!

 

Here are a few Key Points to Know About College before you start.

 

COLLEGE INTERVIEW FORM

Use this College Interview Form when you go on a college visit to collect the most vital information about the school onto one
sheet.  Have it handy for when they ask you if you have questions - these are important items you really should know before
making your decision!

 

Here are 11 Tips to Prepare for a college interview!

 

 

CAPPEX - FIND OUT YOUR COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE POSSIBILITIES - RIGHT NOW!
Cappex.com—the College Application Exchange—is a safe and effective tool for finding the right college for you and knowing
which schools want you before you apply.  Students go through a process of submitting their information (GPA, test scores, school
type interests, etc), and then receive a list of schools that would accept the student if all the content is verified and the student
applies.  There is also a section for parents to understand the process. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

  

   MY COLLEGE QUICKSTART
   My College QuickStart (hosted by Collegeboard.com) is an online college and career planning kit available free of charge to all
   students who take the PSAT/NMSQT. It is personalized based on your test performance and is a valuable part of your
   PSAT/NMSQT experience. You will need a College Board website account and the access code printed on your PSAT/NMSQT
   paper score report.

 

GEAR UP

Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs is a Federally-funded program that prepares students for success in higher education.  Check out the many resources available.

 

 

   

 

COLLEGE LIVING EXPERIENCE

College Living Experience, is program designed to help students with learning disabilities transition into a life full of opportunity, independence and success. It’s the only program of its kind!  CLE helps parents and students realize that going to college and living independently is possible. The College Living Experience is a post-secondary support service program. They are a residential program that helps students while they attend one of several typical colleges or universities right across the street from our tutorial facility. CLE offers intensive academic, independent living skills, and social skills support to students while they study and live in a normalized college environment.  Browse their web site:

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COLLEGE REP VISITS HERE AT THORNRIDGE!
If you see colleges present during your lunch – introduce yourself!  Get information!  Get on their mailing list!  Listen to
announcements for representatives visiting TR, or check out our Counseling Calendar to see who is coming!

 

Be prepared - know Questions to Ask College Representatives when you meet them.  Get good, relative information to help you
make your decisions!

 

 

COLLEGES THAT CHANGE LIVES
Colleges That Change Lives, Inc. (CTCL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and support of a
student-centered college search process. We support the goal of each student finding a college that develops a lifelong love of
learning and provides the foundation for a successful and fulfilling life beyond college. The program is based on the book written
by Loren Pope.

 

CTCL collaborates with colleges they specifically review to meet a certain criteria they feel deems the college as a college that
changes lives.  These schools share two essential elements: a familial sense of communal enterprise that gets students heavily
involved rather than competitive learning, and a faculty of scholars devoted to helping young people develop their powers,
mentors who often become their valued friends.

 

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HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES TOURS

Upward Bound and Talent Search offer College tours in the Spring.   Contact the Career Center for more information, and/or see
the TRIO brochure! 

PUSH Excel takes college bound high school students to visit 10 historically black colleges and universities to inform and expose
the students to institutions of higher education.  The purpose of the tour is to promote increased college attendance amongst
minority youth through a mode of early preparation.

Take a look at a listing and map of ALL HBCU websites!  You may also be interested in a HBCU Quick Reference Guide for the address, phone, enrollment and tuition of each school, for a quick glance of all of them.

LINKS TO EVERY COLLEGE KNOWN!!!!!!!!
"University World: Find Universities & Colleges" has put together a collection of links to all colleges,
schools and universities in the US, Canada, Australia & Europe offering either undergraduate or
graduate programs. We have done all the preliminary work for you, so all you have to do is simply click
on the State you want, and you will immediately find the links to all the websites concerning colleges
and universities located in the selected State.

TRADE SCHOOLS, COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
Universities, Colleges & Trade Schools, the leading online educational portal, helps you acquire information from
education institutions across the US and Canada.  You can find a program to advance your career, whether you
are looking for an online degree or training for a college or university.  Prepare yourself for success!

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES - COLLEGE AND WORK TRANSITION
The transition from high school to college and the workplace can pose special challenges for students with learning disabilities.  
Careful planning and cooperation among parents, educators and students with LD is essential to overcome the many barriers that
arise when these students leave high school for post-secondary education, vocational training, and other options as young adults in
society.  Check out the NCLD web site to access information that can help.

 

 

CHOICES CONFERENCE

The CHOICES fair is the premier college event for high school students with special needs.  This program helps prepare students with disabilities for their transition to post-high school education.  The fair is on October 25th from 5:30-9pm.  However, if you miss the fair, please look at the brochure by clicking "CHOICES fair" above to see contacts with whom you can follow up with to get more information - very helpful!  You can also view the Choices website for general information.

 

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TERMS YOU WILL NEED TO KNOW

Regular Decision - is a plan in which institutions review most of their applications before notifying the majority of candidates of
their admission.  In this process, colleges set a deadline for completing applications and will respond to completed applications by a

specified date.  If you are applying for financial aid you will follow aid application deadlines set by the school.  You may apply to

other colleges.  You will not be required to make a decision regarding enrolling before May 1, which is considered the uniform

candidate reply" deadline.

Rolling Admission - is a term used to describe the application process in which an institution reviews applications as they are

received and offers decisions to students soon after they are made.  If you are applying for financial aid you will follow aid

application deadlines set by the school.  You may apply to other colleges and you will not be required to make a decision regarding

enrolling before May 1.

Early Decision - requires you to commit to a college or university at the time of application that, if admitted, you will enroll. 

You should apply under an Early Decision plan only if you know you can make a well-reasoned, first-choice decision.  Upon

admission the institution will require a non-refundable deposit well before May 1.  You may apply to other colleges but may have

only one Early Decision application pending at any time.  Colleges will respond to requests for financial aid at or near the time

admission is offered.  If admitted, you must enroll unless your financial aid award is inadequate.

Early Action - permits you to apply to a college or university of your choice and receive a decision early in the senior year, well in

advance of the normal spring response dates.  Though you will hear early regarding your admission, you are not committed to

attend and you may apply to other colleges.  If you are applying for financial aid you will follow the aid application deadlines set by

the institution.  You are not required to make a commitment before May 1, but you are encouraged to do so as soon as a final choice

is made.  Special note: A very small number of colleges and universities may restrict the freedom of students applying under their

early action program and require that they not apply to other institutions through either early decision or early action programs. 

Check the "fine print" if you are planning to apply early action.

See Early Decision vs Early Action explained in more detail!

Wait List - is a term used by institutions to describe a process in which they may initially delay offering or deny you admission. 

Rather, the institution extends to you the possibility of admission in the future.  Colleges offer admission to wait list candidates if

insufficient numbers of regularly admitted candidates accept their offers of admission.  August 1 is the date by which all wait list

offers should be made.

Early Admission - is a plan by which colleges admit students, usually exceptionally strong ones, at the end of their junior year.

Deferred Admission - Many colleges will allow a student to begin a semester, a year or longer after the date for which he has

been accepted.  It is usually best and easiest to apply during the senior year and notify the college of plans for deferral after

acceptance.

(c) Hoganson & Rodkin

 

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THINGS TO ASK WHEN CONSIDERING A COLLEGE
- Academic programs?
- Alumni mentors provided?
- Application deadline?
- Average ACT/SAT/GPA?
- Average class size?
- Average financial aid package?
- Campus life?
- Classes taught by professors (no TA's)?
- College visit dates?
- Community breakdown, activities, hot spots, attractions?
- Computer resources?
- Diversity?
- Enrollment Size?
- Ethnic breakdown?
- Extracurricular activities/sports/clubs/organizations?
- Gender ratio/numbers?
- Graduate programs available?
- Graduation rate?
- Housing set up? Percent of students living on/off campus?
- Internship set up?
- Job placement rate?
- Location?
- New facilities, programs, features?
- Number of application received and accepted?
- Personal resources?
- Prerequisites needed to graduate?
- Religious affiliation?
- Retention rate?
- Scholarships - requirements and deadlines?
- Strongest programs/majors?
- Student-faculty ratio?
- Tuition cost? Including room, board, books?
- Who is the admission rep? (Get to know them)

 

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VIRTUAL CAMPUS TOURS
Here is a great way to "visit" a campus without traveling - virtual tours!  Select from hundreds of colleges who bring their campus

to life with digital 360 degree video. 

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Cheapest Colleges: 13 standup schools that cost less than  $5,000 a year - provided by Wallet Pop and author Jason Cochran.

 

 

Find out more about your rights with Undocumented Student Resource Guide.  You can also look at
the CPS guide for undocumented students provided by the Chicago Public Schools.

 

 

 

 

COLLEGE BOOKS
The 100 Best Colleges for African-American Students - by Wilson
100 Colleges Where Average Students Can Excel - by Joe Anne Adler
2 Year Colleges - Petersons
America's Black & Tribal Colleges - by J. Wilson Bowman
Barron's Best Buys in College Education - Barron's
Barron's Profiles of American Colleges - Barron's
The Best 311 Colleges - Princeton Review
The Black Student's Guide to Colleges - by Barry Beckam
Book of Majors - Petersons

Cass & Birnbaum's Guide to American Colleges - Harper Perennial
Christian Colleges and Universities - Petersons
The College Admissions Mystique - by Bill Mayher
The College Handbook - College Board
CollegeMajors That Work - Octameron

Colleges That Change LIves - by Loren Pope
The Fisk Guide to Colleges - by Edward B. Fiske
The Gourman Reoport - by Jack Gourman
Handbook for College Admissions, A Family Guide - by Thomas C. Haydon
The Insider's Guide to the Colleges - St. Martin's Griffin
The K & W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities or ADD - by Mary Beth Kravets & Imy Wax
Kaplan's College Catalog - Simon & Schuster
Let Go - A Parent's Guide to Today's College Experience - by Karen Coburn & Madge Treeger
Lovejoy's College Guide - Macmillan
Making College Count - by Patrick S. O'Brien
The Multicultural Student's Guide to Colleges - by Robert Mitchell
Panicked Parents' Guide to College Admissions - by Sally Rubenstone
Peterson's Competitive Colleges - Petersons
Peterson's Four-Year Colleges - Petersons
The Princeton Review African-American Student's Guide to College - Random House
The Public Ivies: America's Flagship Public Universities - by Howard Greene
Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges - by Frederick Rugg
Smart Parents' Guide to College: The 10 Most Important Factors for Students and Parents When Choosing a College - by Ernest L. Boyer & Paul Boyer
Winning the Heart of the College Admissions Dean - by Joyce Slayton Mitchell
Writing your College Application Essay - by Sarah Myers McGinty
Your College Application by Scott Gelband, Catherine Kubale, and Eric Schorr