2011/12 USEFUL INTERNET RESOURCES

Once you have a preliminary list of colleges, research them online through the individual college web sites and email contact. To find a college’s web site: most comprehensive sites like those below also provide links to college home pages; or just type a college’s name into www.google.com or www.yahoo.com.

Official information can be learned from the admissions office, guidebooks, and the college catalogue. Unofficial information is available in the student newspaper, from contacting current students, and browsing student-made Web pages. College web sites are the easiest way to gather unofficial information short of visiting the college in person.

To make the most of a college’s web site, try these strategies: • Look up answers to the questions you’ve decided are important to you in your search. • Seek home pages of faculty members in majors that interest you for syllabi & research interests. • Read pages for “Prospective Students” for basic information, mission & priorities of the college. • Visit home pages of student organizations—for example, the Outdoor Club or the Student Senate. • Look for current student home pages. Send short email messages to a few asking questions. • Find the alumni association pages—what are alumni of the college doing now? What is the college doing for its alumni? • Take a virtual tour of the campus, if the college’s home page offers one.

For a link to online campus newspapers listed by site, check out the site of the American Journalism Review: http://newslink.org/statcamp.html.

MULTIPLE USE SITES

SITE WHAT YOU CAN DO HERE

SAT test, college search Register for SAT I and SAT II, College search, apply online (500 undergraduate online apps), CSS PROFILE online, scholarship search, test preparation information

http://www.act.org Register for ACT, test preparation information, college search

princeton review College search, apply for financial aid, apply online (500 online applications), links to scholarship search, test prep information

http://www.collegenet.com College search, apply online (1500+ online applications), scholarship search

http://www.collegexpress.com College search, apply online (700 undergraduate online apps), links to scholarship search

http://www.petersons.com College search, summer study opportunities

http://www.xap.com College search, apply online (500+ undergraduate apps)

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/right-school

College search, information on US News College rankings, financial aid search, scholarship search, compare colleges (up to 4 side-by-side)

http://www.catholiccollegesonline.org Catholic colleges information, links to websites

historically black Information on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

http://www.hillel.org Guide to Jewish life on over 500 campuses

Canadian colleges College search, links for Canadian colleges and universities

Colleges in United Kingdom Information on Universities and Colleges Admissions Service for the United Kingdom

other countries accredited Links to U.S.-accredited colleges/universities in other countries

community colleges Use “Community College Finder” to search for community colleges in different states in the U.S.

http://www.finaid.org National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators page, has calculators for EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) and loan payments

www.studentaid.ed.gov FAFSA Instructions, student guide, looking for student aid

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov FAFSA online

http://www.pin.ed.gov Apply for a PIN here, which will speed up the process when applying with the FAFSA online

ONLINE APPLICATIONS

http://www.commonapp.org Common application and individual college supplements to download or submit online

http://www.collegeboard.com All offer hundreds of online applications http://www.collegenet.com http://www.xap.com

TEST PREPARATION

These two sites are all you need to register online, check test dates and deadlines, and find out more information on how to prepare for the ACT and SAT:

http://www.act.org For the ACT http://www.collegeboard.com For the SAT I and SAT II

OTHER WEBSITES THAT MAY BE USEFUL

Western Undergrad Exchg Western Undergraduate Exchange Program—western state schools that allow students to enroll for less than out-of-state tuition

National Student Exchange National Student Exchange Program—this site provides information on college exchange opportunities for undergraduates. Students can spend up to one year on another college campus, while paying the cost of attending either the University of Utah or Utah State.

UC application The online application website for the University of California system.

Cal State App The online application website for the California State system.

sports clearinghouse Information on athletic eligibility requirements for Division I and II colleges, recruiting policies, Clearinghouse information, and what colleges offer specific sports

Intercollegiate Athletics Information on the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics

culinaryschools.com Listing of culinary schools across the country

mascots to frats Links to everything from college mascots to Greek organizations

student college newspapers Links to individual college student newspapers