Tools and insights to help students and parents explore career paths, job outlooks, and real-world opportunities.
From applications to acceptance letters—guides, checklists, and reflections to help families navigate the college journey.
A curated collection of trusted databases, research, and policy sources to back up the facts.
Expand your playlist with curated shows that align with themes of education, parenting, and personal growth.
For Parents and Families – Harvard College: Grade-level planning tips for academics, extracurriculars, essays, and financial aid from Harvard’s admissions team.
Ultimate College Preparation Guide (EduRef): A comprehensive roadmap covering everything from test prep and application timelines to essays and scholarships. (https://www.eduref.net/resources/college-prep-guide/)
Common App – Family Resources: Official family resources to navigate the Common Application, including guides on FAFSA, fee waivers, and deadlines.
BigFuture by College Board: A comprehensive free college planning tool. Explore colleges, careers, and scholarships. (https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/)
Niche: Known for college rankings, reviews, and a college quiz to help students find their best fit based on various criteria. (https://www.niche.com/)
Peterson's: Offers extensive resources for college search, test preparation, and financial aid. (https://www.petersons.com/)
Khan Academy: Offers free, personalized SAT practice, as well as general academic support across many subjects. (https://www.khanacademy.org/)
College Planning for Parents & Students (Prepory): A detailed timeline by grade, helping families build academic and extracurricular strength over time.
Collegefortn.org – Parent & Student Step-by-Step Checklist: A Tennessee-based site with clear, grade-specific planning checklists and action steps for each year of high school.
Clemson University – Parent Tips: Practical guidance on helping your child prepare for college, including test prep, visits, and support strategies.
Federal Student Aid - Checklists for Academic and Financial Preparation: Offers comprehensive checklists for students (and parents) from elementary through high school to prepare for college. (https://studentaid.gov/resources/prepare-for-college/checklists)
NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) - Preparing for College Checklists: Provides valuable checklists, especially for senior year, to help navigate final steps. (https://www.nacacnet.org/preparing-for-college-senior-year-checklist/)
College MatchPoint Guides: Download free expert guides on essay writing, selecting majors, supporting neurodiverse students, and more.
Step‑by‑Step Guide to Building the Best College List – Reddit: A detailed Reddit guide using real data and advice on how to choose realistic and strategic college options.
Best Free Resources for Planning Your Path to College – Reddit: Peer-curated list of tools and websites like College Vizzy, Cappex, Unigo, and CampusReel.
College Confidential: A popular forum and community where students, parents, and experts discuss college admissions, life, and related topics. (https://www.collegeconfidential.com/)
U.S. News & World Report - College Admissions Playbook: Provides articles and advice on various admissions topics. (https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-admissions-playbook)
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – U.S. Department of Education: The official site for submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for federal grants, loans, and work-study programs. (https://studentaid.gov/)
College Scorecard – U.S. Department of Education: A data tool to compare cost, graduation rates, student debt, and earnings across U.S. colleges.
U.S. Department of Education (ED.gov): The federal government’s main education website for policy information, aid programs, and national standards.
College Navigator (U.S. Department of Education): A straightforward tool to search for schools by location, degrees, programs, tuition, and more. (https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/)
ApplyTexas: Texas’s central college application portal for most public colleges and many private universities. (https://www.applytexas.org/)
TASFA – Texas Application for State Financial Aid: The state financial aid application for Texas residents who are not eligible to complete the FAFSA.
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB): The state agency overseeing Texas’s public higher education system, providing information on state aid and college access.
College for All Texans: Texas’s official college planning and financial aid resource website.
Texas OnCourse: A Texas Education Agency initiative offering college and career planning tools for students.
Texas Education Agency (TEA): Texas’s K–12 education authority, with some oversight of college readiness programs.
Fastweb: A massive scholarship database that matches students to scholarships based on their profile. (https://www.fastweb.com/)
Scholarships.com: A comprehensive scholarship search engine. (https://www.scholarships.com/)
Going Merry: A scholarship platform that aims to simplify the scholarship application process. (https://goingmerry.com/)
Bold.org: Offers unique and traditional scholarships, including many no-essay opportunities. (https://bold.org/)
Unigo: Provides scholarship search tools, college reviews, and resources for college planning. (https://www.unigo.com/)
FinAid.org: A resource offering free information on financial aid, loans, savings, military aid, and scholarships. (https://www.finaid.org/)
The Common Application (Common App): A centralized application platform used by over 1,000 colleges and universities. (https://www.commonapp.org/)
Naviance: (Often integrated through high schools) Provides tools for college and career planning, application tracking, and scholarship matching.