HELPFUL RESOURCES

The “Ultimate College Blueprint”
for Getting Your Teen Into the College of Their Dreams

This innovative blueprint gives you a proven, easy-to-follow process for getting your child into an amazing college… in a way that works for YOUR family, and that won’t break the bank.

Download it here!

Register for SAT: registration for SAT and SAT Subject Test

ACT: registration for the ACT

Khan Academy: Free online personalized practice for the PSAT and SAT

Educational Testing Service: Information, preparation, and registration for TOEFL

GURU99: 10 Best SAT Prep Courses | Reviews & Discounts for 2021

Huntington Learning Center Huntersville: Our experienced tutors tailor test prep and teaching styles to meet the unique needs of each student and get the best results in the tutoring and test prep industry.

Mathnasium Huntersville: We can help in math topics from counting to Calculus, including common problematic topics in elementary school such as addition and subtraction, place value, fractions, decimals, and multiplication, middle and high school topics including Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, and Calculus. We also offer PSAT, SAT, and ACT prep.

Applerouth: Test Prep for the SAT, ACT, GRE, SSAT, and tutors.

ePrep: students who use ePrep increase their test scores and become better prepared for the academic challenges of college.

Magoosh Small, a Berkeley-based team of education fanatics, is on a mission to make test prep better.

Test-Optional Colleges 

SAT or ACT? Which Test is Best? To Find Out Whether You're Better at the SAT or ACT 

• The Common Application
• The Coalition Application
• Universal College Application

• WhatforWork: Before you choose a career, make sure you know what it's really like to do. Browse our interviews and learn from the people in those jobs.
• YouScience.com
• Career Explorer.com
• Mynextmove.org (which connects you to onetonline.org) (free). 
•  16personalities.com (free)
•  howtofascinate.com (free for the first level, but to go to next requires $55)
•  mymajors.com (free): Self-test for students, info on majors

• 123 Career Test
  This unusual 15-question interactive quiz explores your basic preferences about working. 

• Career Test - Free Career Aptitude Test and Career Quiz

• Aptitude-Test.com
  This site is a portal to a variety of tests that evaluate math skills, verbal aptitude, abstract reasoning, and other skills.

• iPersonic® Career Test
  After answering only four questions, you get advice about the kind of work you should consider.

• The Princeton Review Career Quiz
  You answer 24 questions and get a profile of who you are and careers to consider. It’s fun and takes only about 10 minutes to complete.

• Truity Holland Code Career Test: This quiz asks you to rate how much you might like specific activities, like tracking expenses or teaching people to read. The results suggest careers that might be right for you to consider.

• Work Interest Wizard Test
  This quiz takes a unique approach – you state how often you like to perform various duties.  The quiz then offers some guidance about careers to consider.

• The University of Iowa MyMajors

• Discover the work you were born to do
• MyPlan.com
• K-12 Student Resources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics
• CareerOneStop.org
• College Board Majors - Information on hundreds of majors and careers
• Princeton Review Majors
• CollegeMajors101

• America’s Career InfoNet This site is a comprehensive source of occupational information for students and job seekers. The information is divided into categories such as General Outlook, Wages and Trends, and State Information.

  ASVAB The ASVAB Program recently was re-designed to be helpful to virtually all students, whether they are planning on immediate employment after high school in civilian or military occupations, or further education at a university, community college, or vocational institution.

  Bureau of Labor Statistics The BLS provides data from the Department of Labor about the economy, including projections and regional information. This information is helpful for high schoolers planning majors and careers.

  California Career Zone California CareerZone is a spin-off of the New York CareerZone<, a proven, successful career exploration and planning system designed especially for students. Users are encouraged to work through the Interest Profiler, Work Importance Profiler, and Assess Yourself assessment based on the Holland Codes for self-exploration. Comprehensive information on 900 occupations includes state-specific wages, worker attributes, job characteristics, and much more. There are 300 career videos that give users a snapshot of the featured occupation. Job openings on Job Central are easily accessible within each occupation's profile. Please continue on investigating from the Resource link where other useful resources are listed.

• Guides for Specific Careers These sites are packed with information about planning your career. What kind of training or education is required? What can you earn? What kind of environment will you work in? What's hot? What's not?
• Career One-Stop Career One Stop combines many career resources from the U.S. Department of Labor. Find jobs, services, career path and salary information, and much more.

Miscellaneous Majors Resources:
College Major Search Tip (from HECA member Joan Rynerson):  When searching for majors, start with the U.S. Department of Education's College Navigator website. Next, try the College Board's Major Search Engine. Finally, go to Google and click on the "Advanced Search" button (small lettering to the right of the search box).  Enter your search terms, specify the maximum number of responses, English language, then at the bottom, specify only .edu domains. You will get an overwhelming list sometimes, but you can scan the website addresses fairly quickly, picking those that indicate a school or department.

• Understanding Your Financial Aid Offer- Common App PDF
• Paying for College & Understanding Your Financial Aid Award Letter -Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 
• FAFSA PIN – Register for and retrieve your Department of Education PIN number
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• CSS Profile
• Types of Federal Financial Aid
• Financial Aid for Online Colleges
• FinAid.org
• CSS Profiles Estimator by CollegeBoard.com
• FAFSA4caster - Federal Student Aid EFC Estimator
• IEFA – Financial Aid information for study abroad
• BigFuture.org: Click on Pay for College
• U.S. Department of Education
  College Affordability and Transparency Center: College Navigator and links to net price calculators of all colleges and other resources.
• TuitionFit: Compare actual college prices from real Financial Aid Offers 
• StudentAid.gov – Information from the U.S. Department of Education on preparing for and funding education beyond high school.
• Student Lending Analytics: Student Lending Analytics (SLA) is an independent research and advisory firm and is not a lender.  
• Quatromoney.com: A free, powerful, self-service, paying-for-college planner for families. 
• Credible.com: Compare Student Loans 
• LendingTree.com: Compare Private Student Loan
• African American Aid & Scholarships:  A guide to provide an overview of different aid and scholarship options available to you, so you can get the financial support you need to finish your degree.
• Education Loan Finance:  A student loan calculator for private loans.

• Guaranteed Scholarships
• FastWeb.com
• National Merit Scholarship Corporation
• Questbridge College Prep Scholarship
• Coca-Cola Scholars
• College Scholarships.org
• Scholarship Plus – Charlotte-Mecklenburg Online Scholarship Guide
• CFNC – North Carolina Scholarship, grant, and loan information
• College Express 
• College Treasure 
• Scholarship Match- Unigo
• Cabarrus County Schools Online Scholarship Guide
• Cappex.com
• Scholarships.com
• APIA Scholars: formerly the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund 
• American Indian College Fund
• Gates Millennium Scholars
• Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
• United Negro College Fund
• Scholar Snapp - A free, simple to use data standard that allows students to reuse their application information - including contact information, essays, transcripts, etc. - from one scholarship application to another thereby streamlining the college scholarship application process.
• Scholly – A mobile app that provides students with a fast and simple way to find scholarships for college.

• The Scholarship Workshop – Scholarship information from an award-winning author and scholarship winner.

• The Scholarship Academy – Offers curriculum to help students identify tailored scholarship options and build solid scholarship profile.

• African American Aid & Scholarships:  A guide to provide an overview of different aid and scholarship options available to you, so you can get the financial support you need to finish your degree.
• NurseJournal.org:  list of more than 50 incredible scholarships and grants for nursing students
• Ultimate Scholarship Guide: What You Need to Know
• A Guide to Esports Scholarships and College Programs: The article explains how to get recruited and put together a stand-out esports scholarship application.
• Writing a scholarship thank you letter: A well-written thank you letter not only shows how much the recipients appreciate the financial support but more importantly also helps to ensure that the donors continue to offer their scholarships to future students. Acknowledging the scholarship provider's generosity can also help build a positive relationship, potentially leading to future opportunities, such as internships, job offers, or additional scholarships.

• NCAA Online
• National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics
• NCAA Clearinghouse — National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Clearinghouse 
• NCAA –National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
• NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete:
• NAIA - National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
• Official & Policy Handbook - NAIA

• Learning Disabilities Association of America: wide range of information; for specific information, search for "college."
• Americans with Disabilities Act
• Center for Parent Information and Resources
• Children’s Disabilities Information
• Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
• Learning Disabilities Online
• Attention Deficit Disorder Association
• National Center for Learning Disabilities
• CollegeSupports.com
• College Web LD: a comprehensive online resource for information about the disability support services at over 500 U.S. colleges and universities
• Just Great Lawyers: Advocating for Students on the Autism Spectrum
• NACAC: links to articles and websites on undocumented students.  Search in Knowledge Center
• National Immigration Law Center: Information for students concerned about immigration status.
• My Undocumented Life: UP-information and resources for undocumented immigrants
• CIP - the College Internship Program - a comprehensive transition program for young adults on the autism spectrum and learning differences.
• Tools for the College Search Process- Here are some resources to help students gather disability-specific information to support their college search and selection process:

• College Board College Search Engine
• College Navigator, U.S. Department of Education College Search database
• CollegeNet
• Peterson's
• Princeton Review
• UnivSource (includes non-U.S. universities)
• Colleges That Change Lives
• Niche
• CollegeData
• U.S. Department of Education College Affordability and Transparency Center: College Navigator and links to net price calculators of all colleges and other resources.
• US News & World Report: not a fan of rankings, but data can be helpful
• StudentsReview

• Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities
• Evangelical Lutheran College Association
• Lutheran Colleges Online
• Hillel Guide To Jewish Life on Campus
• Methodist Colleges
• Muslim Student Association National

• YouVisit
• CampusTours
• eCampusTours
• YouTube

PayScale.com Best Value Colleges ROI

Consortium for Innovative Environments in Education - For students looking for a different approach - unique curriculums

National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) - College and Universities with honors programs

Women's College Association - All female colleges and universities

College Affordability Guide 

Work Colleges Consortium

Georgetown University ROI of 4,500 US Colleges

HECA International Options for US Students

Forbes Financial Health GPA report. -  Forbes created a rubric and began grading finances of colleges and publishing their Financial Health GPA report

Guide to Affordable Online Colleges

Dual Degree vs. Double Major: A guide that explains the ins and outs of dual degrees and double majors

FinanceDegreePrograms.com:  is a comprehensive guide to finance schools and degrees, designed for those who are interested in beginning or advancing their careers in this field.

1. National Association of Schools of Art and Design
2. National Portfolio Day
3. Advising Art Students, a Conference presentation by HECA Member Barry Beach
4. Fine Art & Portfolio Support:

• https://www.bigjeducationalconsulting.com/j-and-j
• https://www.artriculate.com
• www.forsterthomas.com
• https://www.prepforart.com
• https://www.portfolioworksparis.com
• www.InternationalCollegeCounselors.com
• https://creativekcc.com
• http://www.artscounselor.com
• http://portfoliocc.com
• https://www.avelineadmissions.com/
• https://bestfitedu.com
• https://nyartstudio.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/authwall?trk=bf&trkInfo=AQHzz8LTetO_MgAAAXhCANyAhYPpGZOLpOQHPhACn0gvw_quNdLEQNN3nyQxdkHWU8Rh-gffaskeyD_00IOLeFKfQVPrOqKnkPHejiIpgkcsT2HP7A6lcSDGMK8OGgHRlvqLDCQ=&originalReferer=&sessionRedirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Ftali-nesher-053908168

• Association of Military Colleges and Schools in the U.S.
• ROTC - Today's Military
• Military Careers - This site contains career information for all branches of the military.

Gap Year Association:These are the current research efforts. Each year we hold awards at our annual conference to highlight the pioneering research being done in the gap year space. 

Parents Guide to Gap Years: PDF

Gap Year at The School of The New York Times: With New York City as their classroom, Gap Year students emerge with an expanded world view, a sharp sense of perspective on a wide range of topics, and strong critical thinking and communication skills that will prepare them for college, career and lifelong success...

The Gateway Adventure Program (GAP Year):The GAP Year at SOAR is designed for young adults with ADHD and LD (learning disabilities) and specializes in a unique combination of independence, adventure, and life skills instruction for young adults between the ages of 18 and 24... 

National Outdoors Leadership School (NOLS):Take time for your future on a NOLS gap year. NOLS created the original wilderness semester and we continue to lead the way - just like our graduates. On any semester or year course, learn multiple outdoor skills and gain in-depth leadership skills through an extensive hands-on progression guided by your instructors...

EF Language Year Abroad:Invest in your dreams. Achieve fluency, see the world, expand your international network – and launch your global future. Study for 6, 9 or 11 months and start in April, June, September or January...

Raleigh Expedition is an international volunteering program open to all and engaging young people from around the world. Expedition is run by the youth-driven development charity, Raleigh International. Our team have been delivering and developing responsible volunteer programs for more than 35 years and safety is at the heart of all we do.

Gap Year Research Consortium with articles, resources, and research dedicated to exploring outcomes and sharing information about these opportunities.

Gap Year Resources: Google Sheet with listing and descriptions of additional resources

Student Health Guide: College Students: a health guide for new college students that covers diet, exercise, sleep, and more:

Apex Learning 

Baker Web Academy 

Florida Virtual School 

George Washington University 

Hawaii Pacific College -  Offers online AP equivalent courses Summer 2020. Fall 2020 offerings don’t seem to include AP courses, but do offer other options.

John Hopkins (Cost listed as $1915) 

Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science -

Stanford Online High School -  Extremely expensive.

UC Scout - 

Modern States: Freshman Year for Free - Take tuition-free, high-quality courses online from top institutions for college credit.

COLLEGES THAT ACCEPT AP & CLEP FOR CREDIT

NCVirtual

TaughtUp.com: informative guide To Online Learning

Misconceptions and Myths about Online Learning

How to spot and avoid scholarship scams

The Ultimate Moving Guide for International Students: Moving to a new country at a young age is never easy, but there are some resources and tools available that can help ease the transition.