10 College Planning Websites you’ve Probably Never Heard of

Yesterday I opened up my web browser and logged on to www.google.com and I typed the phrase “college planning” into the Google search box just to see what would happen.

According to Google.com, there are 15,900,000 web pages in its index that have this phrase in it. Of the almost 16 million web pages, some are commercially run, created by huge for profit conglomerates and some are personal sites created by individuals who just have a passion to help, usually providing information at no charge.

But which is better? The huge for-profit sites or the mom-n-pop sites that have been built on love and altruism. I don’t know, but what I do know is that I have seen some commercially run sites that I thought were fantastic. However, I have also spent time on some much smaller websites that were equally good.

Listed below are Ten (10) College Planning Websites you’ve probably Never Heard of. The information contained on these sites and the services they provide are invaluable:

1. AIE – Adventures In Education (www.aie.org)
Adventures In Education (AIE™) is a public-service program developed by TG, a nonprofit corporation, that helps students plan and complete their journey through higher education. By providing a Web site and other free resources to students, parents, counselors, and educators, AIE encourages individuals to discover and pursue educational opportunities.

2. College Basics (www.collegebasics.com)
Offers college admissions tips and insider secrets about planning for college, applying for college, financial aid, admissions essays, college interviews, and much more.

3. College Prep 101 (www.collegeprep101.com)
CollegePrep-101 is an award-winning web site and formerly a college credit course that generated over 1,000 college credit hours. Originally created in 1996, by Lance Millis, who has over 20 years of experience in higher education, CollegePrep-101 has helped thousands of high school students, their parents, and those who work with them, get ready for and go to college.

4. College Tidbits (CollegeTidbits.com)
Started in 2007 by two parents assisting their daughter to prepare for college, they decided to create a website and share their research with others. College Tidbits provides advice on planning, preparing and paying for college. The sites goal is to serve as a College Planning Center for college and high school students.

5. College Tips (collegetips.com)
Is a central online location for college students to share college tips. The objective of CollegeTips.com is to inform current and future college students about information that is not provided on college websites or in college welcome packets. They strive to provide a way for students to discuss issues that others avoid, and provide information from real college students.

6. The EducationQuest Foundation (www.educationquest.org)
Headquartered in Lincoln and with locations in Lincoln, Kearney and Omaha, Nebraska, the EducationQuest Foundation is a nonprofit organization with a mission to improve access to higher education in Nebraska – and proud sponsor of the KnowHow2GONebraska campaign. Their mission is to provide free college planning services, outreach services, need-based scholarship programs, and college access grants.

7. InLikeMe (www.inlikeme.com)
InLikeMe is dedicated to helping high school students (and their parents) define, pursue and realize their college admissions goals. InLikeMe is centered at the intersection of college planning, selection, admissions testing and financial aid with a focus on helping you find your “right fit” schools and develop a strategy to get admitted.  They are a hub for the college-bound with a site packed full of information, commentary and advice along with direct links to hundreds of resources and tools.

8. Pathways to College Network (www.pathwaystocollege.net)
The Pathways to College Network is an alliance of national organizations that advances college opportunity for under-served students by raising public awareness, supporting innovative research, and promoting evidence-based policies and practices across the K-12 and higher education sectors.

9. The Admission Game (www.theadmissiongame.com)
Peter Van Buskirk teaches participants how to think about college planning so they can make choices that serve them well in finding and getting into the colleges that fit them best. By challenging assumptions and providing a contextual basis for understanding the college admission process, he gives students and their parents the insights and practical tools needed to get from where they are to where they want to be. His programs inform, inspire and motivate students as they prepare to compete for admission to college. Update: This site is now called “The Best College Fit“.

10. VIC (VOCATIONAL INFORMATION CENTER) Career and College Planning Resources (www.khake.com/page51.html)
This is one of my all time favorites, it is basically a collection of links to some great planning articles and tools. This page provides links for students and guidance counselors including resources to self assessments, career planning, career development and college planning.

If you know of other sites that you feel should be on the list, reply back with the URL in your responses.

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