Planning to Go

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Resources to help you
make a smart college choice.

I don't even know where to start!
Resources to help you plan for college:

  • Find the Best Colleges for You - An objective and detailed step-by-step introduction to beginning your college search, developed jointly by Consumer Reports and The Education Conservancy.
  • College.gov - This site by the U.S. Department of Education is intended to be "the go-to source for information and resources about planning, preparing and paying for postsecondary education."  It includes information for teachers and counselors, as well as for students and their families.
  • Know How 2 Go - From middle school through high school, this site will walk you through what you need to know - and what you need to do - at every step on your way to college.
  • educationUSA - For international students interested in studying in the U.S., this is the Web presence of a global network of more than 450 advising centers supported by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
  • National Association for College Admissions Counseling - This association of high school counselors and college admissions officers also offers information and guidance for students.
  • Adventures in Education - A non-profit site by the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation. 


I'm ready to do some exploring.
Web sites that (like U-CAN) help you learn what's out there:

  • College Navigator - This U.S. Department of Education site offers tons of data, as well as maps showing each college's location.
  • College Portrait of Undergraduate Education - Similar to U-CAN, but for public colleges and universities.
  • College Board -  Their new BigFuture site, launched in March 2012, includes a college search tool, a scholarship search tool, and a customizable action plan for students
  • CollegeInSight - From the Institute for College Access & Success, the site offers data on almost 5,000 U.S. colleges and universities in a structure that makes it easy to compare and analyze institutions.
  • U.S. News & World Report "Best Colleges" - Beyond its rankings, this site offers a wealth of data and guidance on the 1,400 colleges it lists.
  • Princeton Review - Insights from student surveys, and click on "Best Fit School Search" to try out their "Counselor-O-Matic" in beta.
  • Colleges that Change Lives - This nonprofit group's site offers helpful tips on what to look for during a college search. It also profiles 40 less-well-known colleges (public and private) that they cite for "their life-changing success with students."
  • USA Today NSSE Database - The National Survey of Student Engagement measures five key aspects of students' college experience.  USA Today has compiled the survey results from hundreds of colleges into a database searchable by name or type of institution.


Can I afford it?
Help with figuring out what college will cost:

  • "Paying for College" Cost Comparison Tool - Released in a beta version April 2012, this on-line tool by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau allows you to compare your net cost across three instititons you're considering.
  • Student Aid on the Web - Set up a personal account on this Department of Education site to determine your "estimated family contribution," and to fill out the infamous FAFSA on line.
  • FinAid - Extensive information and calculators for every aspect of student aid.  Click on the "Students" button to get step-by-step guidance.  Also includes information for international and nontraditional students.
  • FastWeb - Information on national and institution-based scholarships, and also has a feature that automatically alerts students to application deadlines for scholarships of interest.
  • FinancialAidSuperSite - Provides detailed information on financial planning for college, plus it offers links to lots of other student aid sites.
  • College Affordability and Transparency Center - A Depatment of Education site with lists - by type of institution - of those with the highest and lowest published tuition and net price.
  • Student Loans - Avoiding Deceptive Offers - A publication by the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Education on avoiding scams in student lending.   
  • Net Price Calculators - Here are the latest news stories on the calculators, which are now required on all college websites.  For an estimate of what you would pay after financial aid at a specific college or university, go to that institution's U-CAN profile, then click on the net price calculator link in the "What Students Pay" section.
  • The Private College 529 Plan, through a consortium of private colleges and universities, offers a guaranteed way to purchase tomorrow's tuition at today's prices, for up to 30 years after it was purchased.