Best Resources for College Admission
Last Updated on August 9, 2024 by Jill Schwitzgebel
Obviously, I like to think that my own website is the best resource for anything college admissions-related. And, I promise there is a lot of information here. But, in practice, families doing a college search often need even more information. And, they often want different information at different times throughout the admissions experience. And, there are some outside resources for college admission that I think are valuable for families, depending on their current needs.
So, what follows is my attempt to round up some outside resources that I consistently use myself and resources I refer people to. Often, I post these resources on social media. Sometimes, I have talked in-depth about them in an article I have written, which contains further relevant information. I’ll try to group them here in a way that makes sense, though the collection is diverse.
Throughout the Process
Consult: The High School Counselor
Yes, I’ve written about how high school counselors are so busy that they may be overwhelmed. But, for most college-bound students, this is going to be one of the most important people in the whole process. The counselor is the one who can help students to schedule the classes that will demonstrate to colleges that they’ve taken a rigorous curriculum. They’re the ones that know when a college’s admissions officers are visiting the high school and can get students signed up for a time slot to meet with them. At application time, this is one of the people who will write a letter to colleges on the student’s behalf. They will get the transcripts sent for applications. It is in the student’s best interests to make certain that their counselor knows who they are. Show initiative, ask questions and go in to appointments with them well-prepared.
If You’re Just Getting Started (9th Grade and Fall of 10th Grade)
Read: The Price You Pay for College, by Ron Lieber
There were two books published last year that I believe should be required reading for families of college-bound students. This is one. Lieber describes the book as a “roadmap” and I would agree. He explains the financial aid system, including merit aid, in a way every parent needs to understand, and he also breaks apart price and educational value. Figuring out value is often where families struggle. After reading, I think families will be equipped to make the best educational and financial decision for their own students. If you start with this, you can be sure that your teen will have options that make sense on their application list their senior year.
Search Tool: BigFuture
There are lots of websites out there to use for your college search. For ease of use, and the filters included, I think this is a great starting point. Yes, it’s affiliated with the College Board, but there is no need to take the SAT to use this search tool. It will be most useful to your teen if they’ve had some experience on campuses – visiting a large college and a small one, an urban campus and a rural one. The feature I like is that you can enter a college that you like, and it will suggest other similar colleges you may not have thought about. Do not rely on this site (or any college search site) for the most accurate information about price and admissions data. That information should always be checked by looking up a college’s Common Data Set.
Test Optional List: Fairtest.org
This site is useful if you’re looking for an up-to-date list of what colleges are test-optional, as part of your college planning.
Admissions Blog: Georgia Tech/Rick Clark
No, your student does not have to have any interest in attending Georgia Tech. But, Rick Clark writes an exceptionally timely and informative admissions blog about the admissions process which applies to ANY college. And, it’s pretty entertaining.
In the Thick of the Search Process (Spring of 10th Grade and 11th Grade)
Consult: The Common Data Set
Once you’re getting serious about colleges and the visit list is taking shape, it’s time to check out the CDS for each college. It will allow you to compare apples-to-apples among colleges. It should have the most up-to-date admission and costs and financial aid data, as well as demographic breakdowns. You can most easily find the CDS for each school by entering “ABC University and Common Data Set” into your search bar.
Test Preparation: Khan Academy or the ACT website
If you have determined that it’s in your best interests to take college entrance exams, then there is FREE test prep available on both the SAT and ACT websites. That works for some students. I generally advise against taking a preparation class with a group of students – I personally have not seen great results from those. If you want to do paid test preparation, I’d advise seeking out a tutor to work one-on-one with your student.
Visit: The Colleges
If it’s at all possible, try to visit a variety of colleges that interest your student. If you are unable to do that, do check out their website thoroughly and take some virtual tours. Even if you CAN visit in-person, be sure to spend time on their website first!
Consider: Questbridge
If your family has financial challenges, but you have an outstanding student, they may qualify to participate in this program. QuestBridge National College Match is a college and scholarship application process – you can apply for free to some of the best colleges in the country and be considered for early admission and a full four-year scholarship from the college.
Read: Who Gets In and Why, by Jeff Selingo
Above, I said there were two must-reads – this is the other one of them. The author goes behind the scenes at three colleges as they go through an admissions cycle. He shows that the admissions process of “who gets in” is generally more complicated than most believe and he breaks down some myths about it. It’s eye-opening to many families to see just how many minute factors can make a difference in admission, especially at the most selective colleges. It’s an interesting, but sobering read.
If You Want to Dive Deep
Check Out: Higher Ed Data Stories
This is written by a higher ed professional, Jon Boeckenstedt and includes, as the title suggests, lots of data. It’s generally geared toward a higher ed audience, but if you are really interested in college data – charts, graphs, numbers – this is worth checking out.
And Finally
I often say that there is no magic to what I do. It’s just that like anyone in any field, I spend my days immersed in this information and working with families. Anyone that is willing to put in the time and effort can use the above resources with good results. Additionally, you can find more in-depth material about just about any admissions and application-related topic by using the Search feature on any page or starting here.
