Planning for College: Resources for High School Students

Planning for College

 

A High School Student's Resource Guide

The journey from high school to college can feel like a massive undertaking, filled with applications, essays, and big decisions. The good news? You don't have to navigate it alone. A wealth of resources is available to help you find the right school, prepare for admission, and figure out how to pay for it.

Here’s a guide to the essential resources every high school student should know.

1. Your In-School Command Center: The Counseling Office

Your first and most valuable resource is often just down the hall. Your high school counselor is a trained professional whose job is to help you succeed.

  • What they do: They help you with course selection to meet college requirements, provide feedback on your college list, write letters of recommendation, and guide you through the application process.

  • Why they're key: They know your school's curriculum and have relationships with college admissions officers. They are your personal guide through the entire process. Don't be afraid to schedule regular check-ins!

 

2. Finding Your Fit: College Search & Exploration Tools

With thousands of colleges out there, how do you find the one that's right for you? These tools help you explore your options based on location, size, majors, and campus culture.

  • BigFuture (from The College Board): This is a comprehensive, free platform. You can search for colleges, explore careers and majors, and get step-by-step checklists for every year of high school.

  • College Navigator (from the U.S. Dept. of Education): This government-run tool provides unbiased data on thousands of schools. It's fantastic for finding details on graduation rates, tuition costs, and student demographics.

  • Niche & Peterson's: These sites offer in-depth profiles and, most notably, "best of" lists and reviews from actual students. They are great for getting a feel for the campus vibe and student life.

 

3. Conquering Admissions Tests: Free SAT & ACT Prep

Standardized tests are a part of the process for many schools. You don't need to spend a fortune on prep courses to do well.

  • Khan Academy: As the official partner of the SAT, Khan Academy offers a 100% free, personalized practice platform. It can link to your past PSAT or SAT scores to create a custom study plan focused on your weak spots.

  • ACT.org: The official ACT website provides free study guides, practice questions, and a full-length practice test. It’s the best place to understand the structure and timing of the exam.

  • Your School's Bluebook™ App: For the digital SAT, the College Board's Bluebook app is essential. It's the same app you'll use on test day, and it's loaded with full-length adaptive practice tests.

 

4. Paying for It All: Financial Aid & Scholarships

This is often the most stressful part of the process, but understanding the resources available makes it manageable.

  • FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid): This is the single most important form you will fill out. It's the key to unlocking all federal financial aid, including grants (money you don't pay back!), work-study, and federal student loans. Every student should fill this out, regardless of income.

  • CSS Profile (from The College Board): About 200 private colleges and universities use this form (in addition to the FAFSA) to award their own institutional aid. Check if the schools on your list require it.

  • Scholarship Search Engines: Don't stop at federal aid. Sign up for free scholarship search sites to find private scholarships.

    • Fastweb

    • Scholarships.com

    • BigFuture (also has a scholarship search tool)

Pro-Tip: Your high school counselor and your state's department of education website are also excellent sources for local and state-specific scholarships.

 

5. Streamlining Your Applications: The Common App

Instead of filling out a dozen different applications, one for each school, many colleges use a single, centralized platform.

  • The Common Application (Common App): This platform is accepted by over 1,000 colleges and universities. You fill out your main information (name, address, activities, main essay) one time and then use it to apply to multiple schools. It saves an incredible amount of time and effort.

Your Path Forward

The college planning process is a marathon, not a sprint. Start by exploring these resources. Talk to your counselor, take a practice test to get a baseline, and start a "dream list" of schools on a search website. By breaking it down and using the tools at your disposal, you can make this journey organized, exciting, and successful.