5 College Search Resources You Should Be Using

In this post, I’d like to share 5 college search resources you should be using. These are resources available online that will help make the college search process easier for you and your college-bound kid.

There are so many college search resources available that it can be very overwhelming to know where to start.  You can easily fall victim to “Information Overload.”  In my several years learning about and writing about the college search process, I have figured out the easiest and best resources out there.

If you are new to the college search process, you need to quickly get up to speed and learn all the basics. These college search resources will get you there.

5 College Search Resources You Should Be Using

1. Roadmap to Cutting College Costs

   When it comes to the college search process, most families are looking for ways to cut down the high cost of college.  Brought to you by DIY College Rankings and Road2College, Roadmap to Cutting College Costs is an interactive online course that will teach you how to save money on college through need-based and merit-based financial aid and targeting the right schools that will offer you the best deal.  I have taken the course and I believe it is a great resource for all families looking for ways to save money on college.  The next course starts May 11!

2. Collegedata.com

   Collegedata is a great multi-purpose college search website.  My favorite part of the website is the College Match feature.  It is a search engine to help you and your student find the right colleges to explore further.  The site has a good mix of criteria to use in the search, but the best part is the amount of data that is displayed for each school.  Try it out and see how much you can learn about each school.

3. The College Solution

   This is Lynn O’Shaughnessy’s website that covers all things related to the college search process.  My recommendation is to sign up for her newsletter for parents.  You will receive helpful resources when you sign up and every week.

4. Big Future

   This is the College Board’s “one stop shop” site that includes college searching, college planning, year-by-year plans for how to prepare for college, financial aid tools and calculators, career exploration, and tons of articles for parents and students.

5. FAFSA4Caster

   The FAFSA4Caster is an early estimate of your expected family contribution for college according to the formula used by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  It is a tool to help you plan ahead.  I recommend running it when you first start thinking about the college search process and again when you get closer to your child finalizing the list of colleges to apply to.  You will be better able to estimate your financial picture later on.  In addition, you need to use the FAFSA4Caster in conjunction with Net Price Calculators available for the colleges your student is interested in.  If you don’t know much about Net Price Calculators, #1 on this list, the Roadmap to Cutting College Costs, is a great course for you.

Taking advantage of these college search resources will help you learn the steps in the college search process, how to find the right schools for your student and how to save money on college.