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Latest
Update:
May 15, 2009
Adventures
In Education (AIE) is a nonprofit, public benefit
program developed by TG that helps students plan and complete
their journey through higher education. By providing a Web site
and other free resources to students, parents, counselors, and
educators, AIE encourages individuals to discover and pursue educational
opportunities. AIE promotes a better tomorrow by preparing students
and families for the adventure today. www.aie.org
Admissions.com,
is a website for tomorrow’s college students. Here, you’ll
find detailed, accurate information about colleges, and get the
latest scoop on the admissions process from experts and insiders.
http://www.admissions.com
Your Guide to Art Education
and Careers
All Art Schools is a comprehensive
online directory of accredited art programs and art career resources.We
strive to be the finest resource available allowing prospective
students to:
Each year, thousands of adults return to college. Nearly six
million adults attend college in the United States; more than
a quarter of all undergraduates in Connecticut are 25 or older.
To smooth the transition to the classroom, colleges offer
a wealth of services geared to adults.
Going back to college as an adult can
be a daunting (sometimes even scary), but very worthwhile experience.
Browse information on schools and frequently asked questions
in the admissions area.
Locate online courses or traditional or distance degree programs,
find out how to get credit for life experience, or get help
deciding on a major.
Confused about whether you qualify for financial aid? Learn
how to apply and locate scholarships.
You can also brush up on forgotten study skills and read motivational
articles and special reports about other adults who are successfully
returning to school, as well as browse a bookshelf of bestselling
books and guides for the returning learner. (http://www.back2college.com/)
CampusChamps
is a free Website sponsored by American Education Services (AES).
It was developed to create a convenient source
of information for student-athletes about finding a postsecondary
school, applying for admission, and obtaining financial aid. The
site also offers a valuable service to financial aid administrators
and athletic department counselors as it provides them with an
online resource for inquiring student-athletes. (http://www.campuschamps.com/)
CampusTours is provides virtual college
tours and academic multimedia, working with hundreds of colleges
and universities since 1997. CampusTours was founded to provide
an intuitive gateway to official university multimedia, and experience
college presentations. http://www.campustours.com/
Cappex.com is a FREE
service that helps students connect with colleges and universities
that want them before they apply.
Students who complete a profile on Cappex.com may be invited
to apply to certain colleges based on the college's interest in
their specific qualifications, and may also hear about other schools
meeting their needs. Because all messages are received via our
private messages center, personal contact information about the
student will only be released to an institution after the student
indicates they'd like to hear more from that institution. In essence,
the student will know which colleges want them before they apply.
CollegeBoard's mission is to connect students
to college success and opportunity. The association is composed
of more than 5,000 schools, colleges, universities, and other
educational organizations.Among its best-known programs are the
SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT®, and the Advanced Placement Program®
. (http://www.collegeboard.com/)
Your On-Line College Advisor: Choose, prepare,
apply and pay for college with advice and tools from CollegeData.
Get college admission help and search for colleges and scholarships.
www.collegedata.com/cs/index.jhtml
College.gov
was designed by students for students and features first-person
accounts of students who overcame challenges to going to college
such as peer pressure, lack of family support, and financial barriers.
It provides relevant, comprehensive information about why to go,
how to go, and how to pay for college or other postsecondary education
programs. Young people who may not have considered higher education
a viable option will be engaged, informed, and inspired to create
their own "roadmap" to college.
The CollegeNET search engine helps
you quickly find the ideal college. Narrow down by region, college
sports, major, tuition, and several other criteria. Hotlink from
your search list directly to homepages of the schools in which you
are interested. Review, compare, and sort schools according to exclusive,
detailed profiles provided by ACT. (http://www.collegenet.com/about/index_html)
COLLEGE
PLANNING FOR THE FIRST IN THE FAMILY
For students who could potentially be the first in the family
to attend college, the planning process can be emotional and challenging.
Several resources exist to help first families throughout the
decision-making process.
Family Firsts, a series of booklets from ACT,
was created for first-generation college students and their families
to assist with college planning. To access the booklets, visit
www.act.org/path/secondary/resources.html.
A key to the process is learning about the college planning
calendar. Most two- and four-year schools follow approximately
the same admissions schedule. ACT offers online checklists for
keeping all students on track to a college education.
Many potential first-generation students and their families believe
that funding is unattainable. However, several
websites are available to help explain financial aid and other
resources for paying for college. Learn more by visiting:
www.studentjobs.gov/e-scholar.asp – A list of federally
funded scholarships, fellowships, grants and internships geared
to high school, undergraduate and graduate students.
www.fafsa.ed.gov – The Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) website. This is where you start when you
are ready to apply for financial aid.
www.finaid.org – Features a free scholarship search
as well as information on loans, savings programs and military
aid.
www.act.org/fane – A financial aid need estimator.
www.hsf.net – A Hispanic Scholarship Fund website that
features scholarships for Hispanic students and research reports
on the education of Hispanic students.
www.studentaidalliance.org – Student success stories
and descriptions of need-based financial aid programs.
Also, seek out the help of teachers and school counselors
for advice and resources. The rewards are worth the effort.
We have developed a variety of training tools
to help students prepare, including workbooks, software, and videos,
based on our belief that effective SAT and ACT preparation rests
on solid principles - build content knowledge in verbal and math
areas, teach deductive reasoning using test taking strategies,
and practice. (http://www.powerprep.com/)
A VIRTUAL LIBRARY REPRESENTING
34,055 COLLEGE CATALOGS
in full cover-to-cover, original page format with 2-year, 4-year,
graduate, professional and international schools.
Hobsons College View - your career, college and financial
aid source.
With many titles circulated worldwide, Hobsons is the leading
provider of educational and careers recruitment solutions. It
has an extensive range of publications, including directories,
casebooks, magazines, events and Internet services helping prospective
students choose an educational pathway and employment opportunity.
(http://www.collegeview.com/)
The Board of Governors for Higher Education is the statewide
coordinating and planning authority for Connecticut's public
and independent colleges and universities. (http://www.ctdhe.org/default.htm)
This website provides a variety of distance learning
opportunities. Courses listed on this site make it possible for
you to learn anytime and anyplace. Most courses can be used to
meet degree requirements at your home institution. Take online
courses to upgrade your job skills, to explore an area of personal
growth, or to reach that long time goal of completing your college
degree. (http://www.ctdlc.org/)
The Connecticut State University System
is the largest public university system in Connecticut and consists
of four comprehensive universities with more than 36,000 students
and 150,000 alumni. The universities offer high-quality graduate
and undergraduate programs in more than 160 subject areas and
provide extensive opportunities for internships, community service
and cultural engagement.
The four comprehensive universities of the CSU System -- Central
Connecticut State University, Eastern Connecticut State University,
Southern Connecticut State University and Western Connecticut
State University -- are Connecticut's universities of choice for
students of all ages, backgrounds, races and ethnicities. CSU
provides affordable and high-quality, active-learning opportunities,
which are geographically and technologically accessible. A CSU
education leads to baccalaureate, graduate and professional degrees
consistent with CSU's historical missions of teacher education
and career advancement, including applied doctoral degree programs
in education. CSU graduates think critically, acquire enduring
problem-solving skills and meet outcome standards, which embody
the competencies necessary for success in the workplace and in
life. (http://www.ctstateu.edu/)
The Education Trust
is a national nonprofit that works for the high academic achievement
of all students at all levels – pre-kindergarten through
college.
College Results Online
College-bound students who are researching potential
schools to
attend might want to check out College Results Online. This
interactive website gives students the chance to research and
compare the graduation rates of different schools.
ESLDirectory.com, the premier search site for ESL Lessons and
English as a Second Language Programs around the world. We have
compiled this database to include all the very best ESL schools
from around the world so that they are accessible in one place.
You can search by program name, USA state, or by country to locate
the right program for you - once you have found the right ESL
program for you simply use our contact form to email the school
directly! (http://www.esldirectory.com/)
The National Center for Fair & Open Testing advances quality
education and equal opportunity by promoting fair, open, valid
and educationally beneficial evaluations of students, teachers
and schools. FairTest also works to end the misuses and flaws
of testing practices that impede those goals.
This list includes colleges and universities
that deemphasize the use of standardized tests by making
admissions decisions about substantial numbers of applicants
who recently graduated from U.S. high schools without
using the SAT I or ACT. http://fairtest.org/optstate.html
FastWeb:
Free Internet scholarship search service, that helps students
make the decisions that shape their lives: choosing a college,
paying for college, and finding jobs and internships.
Each FastWeb user answers a detailed questionnaire about themselves.
The site then uses this data to generate a personalized suite
of information of scholarships, colleges, internships, jobs, and
more.
Bridges’ planning
and exploration products give students and adults in transition
reasons to achieve more -- exploring all their options, setting
goals and making plans to get there.
International
Education: Network for Education Information
An information and referral service that helps Americans and overseas
visitors find out where they can get answers to questions about
education in the U.S. and education systems in other countries.
FOR STUDENTS:
The transition from high school to college is filled with challenge,
opportunity and decision making. Throughout the college admission
process, one of your best resources is your school counselor.
Your counselor can help you better understand yourself, your interests
and your needs so you can make the decision that's right for you.
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), located within
the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Education
Sciences, is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing
data related to education.
Searching for education facts and trends?
The National Center for Education Statistics collects and analyzes
education data for the U.S. and abroad. Find out more from NCES:
http://nces.ed.gov/
We produce college, career and life planning publications
for life after high school. Our market is teens, counselors and
parents.
At nextSTEPmag.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. (http://www.nextstepmagazine.com)
The Princeton Review helps students,
parents, and educators achieve the best outcomes at all stages
of their educational careers. It all starts with a single premise:
Everyone is entitled to the best education. Through years of research
we've learned to use practice and preparation to help students
improve their performance. http://www.princetonreview.com
Explore Schools and Careers
Improve your scores and skills
Find Scholarships & Aids
Students wondering where to go to college and how
to get there, or parents trying to unravel the mystery of the college
and the financial aid application process, College Answer (formerly
known as Wiredscholar) is the site for you.
You'll find pointers on the entire "Going-to-College"
process from preparation to getting loans.
College Answer also has interactive tools that enable you to analyze
the affordability of schools, compare financial aid award letters,
and search for scholarships. (http://www.collegeanswer.com)
School Guide serves the
high school community as a comprehensive resource of colleges
and schools.
The goal of this website is to educate students
about scholarship access and the necessary requirements for achieving
maximum financial aid. In addition, we provide our information
free of charge to help students avoid scholarship scam artists
and misleading authors who promise "secrets" to what
is essentially publicly available information.
With the help of this website, you
can plan and partner with others to play a part in helping our
nation's young people to examine the world of choices that await
them. This is your opportunity to help raise post-secondary expectations
among younger students, regardless of their background, while
their outlook is bright and choices for their future are still
wide open.
Unigo.com, a free, gigantic,
student generated guide to North American colleges
for prospective
applicants and their families.
Unigo
is a new platform for college students to share reviews, photos,
videos, documents, and more with students on their campus and
across the country.
It’s also the best place for high school students to find
out what life is really like at North America’s colleges,
and to make friends who can help them find the school that’s
right for them.
Unigo is the result of a community of students across the country
dedicated to getting the truth out about college life, and it’s
growing bigger every day. You can become a part of Unigo by registering
here! (http://www.unigo.com/Register.aspx)
For more about how Unigo goes above and beyond conventional college
guides, click
here.
Office of Postsecondary Education of the
U.S. Department of Education-
Campus
Security (http://ope.ed.gov/security/index.asp)
is your direct link to reported criminal offenses for over
6000 colleges and universities in the United States. If
you are thinking of attending college in a large urban city,
a small liberal arts college, a specialized college, or
a community college you can find their security statistics
here.
Network
for Education Information: International Education
An information and referral service that helps Americans and
overseas visitors find out where they can get answers to questions
about education in the U.S. and education systems in other countries.
This site is designed
to help those students who are considering higher education in
the United States of America or Canada but are uncertain of the
formalities involved to do so.
It features links and resources for both domestic and international
students interested in attending college in the United States
of America (USA) or Canada. You can also browse through a listing
by name, program, and state of US colleges, community colleges,
and universities, and by name and province of Canadian universities.
Visit: http://www.univsource.com/
We're Number One! College rankings can affect what schools students consider
attending and which ones they dismiss -- but who comes up with the
rankings and are they valid? That's what the College and University
Rankings Web site discusses. Learn about college rankings, how they
are done, and how to evaluate them.
For more information: http://www.library.uiuc.edu/edx/rankings.htm
Put together your resume/profile. This will focus on your
qualifications and what you really want. You should include
work and academic histories, College Board scores, distinctions
and four or five solid interests. All on one side of a sheet
of paper.
Think about the type of setting in which you are most comfortable
-- rural, suburban, or urban.
Think the type of learning environment that is best for you.
A large university? A small college?
Give serious thought to this question(s). "Why do you
want to go to college?" or "Why do you want to go
to ----college?"
While Visiting Colleges
Tour and interview with at least twelve schools this summer.
To get the most from these preliminary visits...
1. Go during the summer between your junior and senior year.
Admissions people won't be rushed... You'll still get a feel
for the campus... and you won't miss any class time..
2. Read the letters to the editor in the college newspaper.
Discover the "real issues" on campus.
3. Study the bulletin boards to get a sense of the social
life. Graffiti can provide insight into the type of people
among whom you'll be living.
4. Stand in front of the college admissions office, and ask
for directions to the admissions office. This is how I learn
about a school's spirit. Are student's responses cold and
sarcastic? Do they give directions pleasantly - even open
a conversation with you?
Where ever possible initiate conversations with students
at the college you are visiting. A great deal can learned
by just listening.
(The following was an exerpt
from College Impression Summer Newsletter - 6/7/8/03)
"It
is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey
that matters in the end." Ursula K. LeGuin
