100 Free Tools for Your College Planning & Prep

By   |  September 13, 2009

If you’re just getting started with college planning, the sheer amount of information, options, and decisions to make can be overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. With the help of these free tools, you’ll be able to choose your college, plan your career, major, and more.

General

These tools are great for improving your college planning process.

  1. College Terminology: Here you’ll find a glossary of college terms.
  2. College Planning Calendar: Stay on track with planning and paying using this calendar.
  3. College Planning Checklist: This checklist will help you plan for college in each year of high school.
  4. College Moving Checklist: Make sure you have everything you need by checking out this list.
  5. High School Class Planning Worksheet: With this worksheet, you can plan the classes you’ll take in high school.
  6. College Planning Checklist: Make use of this tip sheet when planning for college.

Test Prep

With the help of these tools, you can ace the SAT or ACT.

  1. The Official SAT Question of the Day: Get practice every day with this question, hint, and explanation.
  2. Preparing for the ACT: Use this booklet to find essential information about ACT preparation.
  3. Spark Notes SAT Practice Test: Take a full or mini exam of the SAT for practice here.
  4. Free ACT Online Demo and Practice Test: Test your ACT knowledge using this tool.
  5. LSAT Email Tips: Get tips, hints, and strategies for test day in this newsletter.
  6. Official SAT Practice Questions: Get practice questions in critical reading, math, and writing here.
  7. ACT Free Events: Here you can search for free ACT events like strategy sessions, free practice tests, and parent information sessions.
  8. Number2: Number2 will provide you with online test preparation courses totally free.
  9. Official SAT Practice Test: Take this practice test to get a score report and answer explanations.
  10. SAT Essay Prompts: Take a look at sample prompts from real SAT tests.
  11. My College QuickStart: Use this tool to get a personalized SAT planning kit.
  12. SAT Test Centers: You’ll be able to find the testing center for you with this search tool.
  13. Kaplan Free SAT Practice Test: Test your skills with this tool.
  14. ACT Sample Tests: Familiarize yourself with the ACT test using these practice questions.
  15. SAT Test Dates & Fees: With this tool, you can find test dates and registration deadlines.
  16. ProProfs SAT Practice Exams: Use these practice exams to test your skills before you go in.

College Choice

Confused about which college you’d like to attend? Put these tools to work!

  1. College Board College Search: Get information about more than 3,800 colleges and universities from this tool
  2. College Choice Variables: With this sheet, you can rate schools based on your own observations.
  3. CHEA: Through the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, you’ll find searchable directories for accrediting agencies.
  4. College Visits: A Planning Checklist: With the help of this checklist, you can better plan your college visits.
  5. CollegeView College Search: Search for a school by location, major, and more using this tool.
  6. College Comparison Worksheet: You can consider your selection criteria among 5 different colleges with the help of this comparison worksheet.
  7. Student Search Service: Get connected with colleges and scholarships through this service.
  8. eCampus Tours: Get a virtual tour of a variety of college campuses using this tool.
  9. Cappex: On Cappex, you can create a profile to let universities approach you.
  10. Kiplinger’s 100 Best Values in Public Colleges: With this ranking, you’ll find the best value for your college dollars.
  11. College Planning Profile: Use this profile to get matched to the right colleges for you.
  12. College MatchMaker: With this tool, you’ll be able to evaluate your preferences for different schools.
  13. USphere: USphere will allow you to fill out an online application and hear back from interested schools.
  14. RateMyProfessors: Go to RateMyProfessors to research a college’s professors before you make your decision.
  15. BSchool: Check out BSchool to find rankings for business schools and online MBAs.
  16. Scholarships.com College Search: With the help of this search, you can find the college that’s right for you.
  17. Zinch: Fill out a portfolio on Zinch to sell yourself to potential schools.
  18. SparkCollege: Find Your College Fit: Using this tool, you can customize your college search.
  19. College Navigator: With this toolkit, you’ll be able to research a variety of colleges and universities.
  20. American Association of State Colleges and Universities: This association offers information about 430 public colleges and universities.
  21. Counselor-O-Matic: Using the Counselor-O-Matic, you can find the best college for you.
  22. eLearnersAdvisor: With this tool, you can find out how well you’ll do in online education.
  23. OEDb’s Online College Rankings: OEDb shares rankings for the best accredited online education programs.
  24. US News & World Report: Find rankings of 1,400 schools from US News & World Report.
  25. CollegeWikis: On CollegeWikis, you can browse wiki sites that are specific to your university.
  26. College Navigator: Using the College Navigator, you can find the right college for you.
  27. Campus Explorer: Find the right school for you among more than 6,000 US schools.
  28. Finding the Right Colleges for You: Here you’ll find tools that can help you match yourself with the right school.
  29. LocalSchools: Find schools based on your location and program you’re interested in using LocalSchools.
  30. CampusTours: On CampusTours, you’ll get virtual college tours and interactive campus maps.
  31. Peterson’s: Use Peterson’s college search tools to find the school that’s right for you.
  32. The Princeton Review’s College Rankings: The Princeton Review offers 371 of the best colleges, with 62 different rankings lists.
  33. EdRef: In this college search directory, you’ll get a variety of school information.

College Acceptance

Get some help getting accepted to the school of your choice from these tools.

  1. GPA Calculator: With the help of this calculator, you can find out your GPA.
  2. BeRecruited: Student athletes can fill out a form on this website to be connected with college recruiters and get information on scholarships.
  3. College Admissions Planner: Use this planner to stay on top of all the details of college admissions.
  4. collegeCalendar: This interactive application will make it easy for you to get organized when getting accepted to college.
  5. College Planning Calendar: Follow this calendar to see essential test dates, application, and registration deadlines.

Career Planning

These tools will help you map out your major and future career.

  1. Occupational Outlook Handbook: With this publication, you’ll be able to research the conditions, pay, and outlook for just about every career out there.
  2. MyMajors: MyMajors will offer you a useful quiz and advice for your college major.
  3. O*Net: Check out O*Net to explore occupations and get matched based on your skills.
  4. MyRoad: MyRoad offers a variety of career planning tools.
  5. JobStar: JobStar offers guides for specific careers.
  6. Princeton Review 5 Minute Career Quiz: You can find out what you should study with the help of this quiz.
  7. Are You Ready to Choose a College Major?: This assessment will help you find out if you’re ready to choose your college major.
  8. What career will suit your personality?: This quiz will help you find the career to suit your personality.
  9. Job Profiles: Job Profiles will help you choose from all of the careers and opportunities available.
  10. Work Interest Quiz: You can determine what you’re really interested in by taking this quiz.
  11. BLS Career Information: Use this tool to explore what you want to do as a career.
  12. Career Guide to Industries: Get information about the earnings and job markets in each state from the Career Guide to Industries.
  13. Career Exploration: You can explore different careers using these links.
  14. The Princeton Review Career Search: Figure out what you want to do by using this search tool.
  15. CareerShip: CareerShip offers an online career exploration adventure.

Finance

Use these tools to make paying for college a manageable expense.

  1. Real Cost Comparison Calculator: Base your college decision on the real cost of attendance using this calculator.
  2. FastWeb Scholarship Search: Find the scholarship for you with the help of this search tool.
  3. Savings Plan Designer: Use this calculator to find out how much money you need to contribute each month for college.
  4. Financial Aid Calendar: You’ll find key dates for financial aid on this calendar.
  5. FAFSA: Check out this website to get assistance applying for financial aid.
  6. Award Analyzer: You can compare award letters to find out who will give you the most aid using this analyzer.
  7. Sallie Mae Education Investment Planner: Use this planner to figure out how you’ll pay for school.
  8. EFC Calculator: This calculator will help you figure out how much you’ll be expected to contribute to your education.
  9. PROFILE: This tool from College Board makes it easy for you to apply for a variety of scholarships.
  10. Princeton Review Scholarship Search: This tool offers a free way to find the scholarships for you.
  11. Loan Calculator: With this loan payment calculator, you can estimate the size of your monthly loan payments and the annual salary you’ll need to manage them.
  12. College Cost Comparison Worksheet: Compare the cost of different colleges using this worksheet.
  13. Sticker Shock Quiz: Use this quiz to find out how much college really costs.
  14. Loan Calculator: You can find out your monthly payment for student loans with this calculator.
  15. How Much Should You Save? Worksheet: Using this worksheet, you’ll be able to calculate how much you need to invest to have enough for college.
  16. Financial Aid EasyPlanner: Plan how you’re going to pay for college using this tool.
  17. Tuition Savings Calculator: Learn how much you need to save for college tuition using this calculator.
  18. CollegeBoard Scholarship Search: You can find scholarships with this tool.
  19. College Cost Projector: You’ll be able to figure out how much college will cost with this projector.
  20. Student Contribution Calculator: This calculator will tell you how much you will have to come up with to attend college.
  21. Compare Your Aid Awards: Use this comparison tool to find out which awards are the most valuable.
  22. Student Loan Comparison: This calculator will make choosing your student loan easy.
  23. Tuition Model: This model will allow you to figure out how tuition increases work.
  24. FAFSA4caster: Using this tool, you’ll find out what you can expect to get from FAFSA.
  25. Budget Calculator: Check out this budget calculator to make a plan for your college budget.

Posted with permission from OnlineDegreesHub.com

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11 Comments on “100 Free Tools for Your College Planning & Prep”  (RSS)

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  5. Thanks for any other great post. Where else could anyone get that kind of info in such a perfect means of writing? I have a presentation next week, and I am at the look for such info.

  6. A plethora of information – Thanks so much – invaluable

  7. it’s separated into categories helps to illustrate that there is more than one factor to consider when planning for college. Many students only focus on getting in, but neglect the financing aspect, etc.

  8. The fact that it’s separated into categories helps to illustrate that there is more than one factor to consider when planning for college. Many students only focus on getting in, but neglect the financing aspect, etc.

  9. Preparation for college is one important step that one should consider first before getting in.
    Spot you key areas whereby more expenses will be experienced to actually survive once there.

  10. This is a great list of resources for college preparation. The fact that it’s separated into categories helps to illustrate that there is more than one factor to consider when planning for college. Many students only focus on getting in, but neglect the financing aspect, etc.

  11. Another great tool is a new website called http://www.MyEdu.com. It helps you plan for college as a prospective and current student. You can look up various degree plans, see professor reviews and grade histories, and plan out your course schedule. I would definitely suggest checking it out!

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