Resource List

Researching College

Deciding where to apply to college is a big decision. Students who simply apply to schools because they are recommended by friends, family, and counselors run the risk of a miserable freshman year, transferring schools, or worse, dropping out. Creating a personalized and optimal list requires a deep dive into each campus under consideration. Whether a student values specific academic programs, social fit, location, financial fit, strong odds of admission, or a multitude of other factors, one thing is certain: researching colleges is essential to creating the right list. We have assembled a collection of resources to help students discover what colleges offer before deciding to apply.

College Board’s Big Future College Search
College Board has a robust college search engine that filters preferences and suggests good-fit colleges based on a variety of factors - type, location, affordability, campus life, majors, and admissions. College Board is also the organization that runs the SAT and Advanced Placement (AP) tests.

College Data 
Getting started with the college selection process means gathering a great deal of information. College Data takes statistical data from the Common Data Set (a database of statistics published on each college’s website) for all universities and presents it in a user-friendly way. Use this resource for information on admissions statistics, financials, academic programs, and student life.

Niche
Niche is the “Yelp” of college reviews. Current attendees and alumni “grade” colleges based on a variety of relatable factors to give authentic insight and help explain the pros and cons from a student perspective. Drill down by clicking on “read more” in each section. Read and filter student reviews by category to make them more digestible.

Colleges that Change Lives
Colleges that Change Lives (CTCL) is a nonprofit organization committed to a student-centered college search process. It dispels popular myths by going beyond rankings to challenge the conventional wisdom about college choice. The current CTCL list is comprised of 44 liberal arts schools that focus on a transformative collegiate experience and builds the foundation for a successful and fulfilling life beyond college.

Colleges of Distinction
This organization aims to avoid the rankings trap by recognizing schools that excel based on four main criteria – Student Engagement, Teaching, Community, and Outcomes. Their goal is to help parents and students find not just the “best” college, but the right one.

Best Fit College vs. Big Name Institution

“Fit Over Rankings” Article
Challenge Success, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the Stanford Graduate School of Education, explains why college selectivity is not a reliable indicator of student learning, job satisfaction, and well-being – and why college engagement matters more than selectivity. Additional resources supporting the philosophy of “Less Pressure, More Balance, Deeper Learning” can be found on the Challenge Success website.

Malcolm Gladwell - Google Zeitgeist Video
Well-known journalist, author, and public speaker, Malcolm Gladwell, addresses the risk of aiming only for prestigious college attendance and explains the advantage of being a big fish in a small pond. This article makes the same point of why a “smaller, less competitive pond might be the best option for academic success and satisfaction in the future.”

Julie Lythcott-Haims - TED Talk Video
Popular educator, author, and public speaker, Julie Lythcott-Haims, draws on her experience as dean of freshmen and undergraduate advising at Stanford University and addresses how to raise successful kids without over-parenting. She warns parents who aim for specific prestigious colleges to beware of a “checklisted” childhood.

SAT-ACT Testing & Free Test Prep

SAT Official Site - College Board
Check here for information about the SAT test itself, dates offered, and registration.

SAT Practice Tests
Official downloadable full-length SAT practice tests can be accessed here.

SAT Practice through Khan Academy
Khan Academy has partnered with College Board to provide a personalized practice plan with full-length official tests, videos, lessons, tips, and test-taking strategies.

ACT Official Site
This link will direct you to the ACT site for more information and to register.

ACT Practice Tests
Official ACT practice tests can be found at this link.

College Applications

Common App
Over 1000 colleges and universities use this centralized application to streamline the process of applying to college. Common information (student profile, education, courses & grades, activities & honors, personal essay) is shared amongst all the colleges, with breakout sections for extra requirements unique to each individual school. The application opens each year on August 1, and deadlines are individual to each school.

  • Use this link to watch a brief walkthrough of the application.

  • Use this link to access an application guide for first-year students.

  • Use this link to access the AXS Companion to the Common App (an in-depth resource designed to be used side-by-side with the Common App to aid in understanding and navigation)

Coalition Application
The Coalition Application is used by only ~150 colleges and universities, but the concept is the same as the Common App.

University of California Application
All 9 undergraduate campuses in the UC system use this application for admission. It opens each year on August 1 and closes on November 30.

  • Campus List – UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz

  • Use this link to view an outline of application requirements.

  • Use this link to access a detailed reference guide to systemwide admission requirements, policies, and practices.

  • Use this link for additional guidance on how to best answer the Personal Insight Questions.

California State University Application
All 23 campuses in the Cal State system use this application for admission. It opens each year on August 1 and closes on November 30.

  • Campus List – CSU Bakersfield, CSU Channel Islands, Chico State, CSU Dominguez Hills, CSU East Bay, Fresno State, CSU Fullerton, Cal Poly Humboldt, CSU Long Beach, Cal State LA, Cal Maritime, CSU Monterey Bay, CSU Northridge, Cal Poly Pomona, Sacramento State, CSU San Bernardino, San Diego State, San Francisco State, San Jose State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CSU San Marcos, Sonoma State, and Stanislaus State

  • Use this link to access a freshman application guide, checklists, do’s and don’ts, and additional information on the CSU system.

Financial Aid

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
Filling out the FAFSA is the only way to apply for government aid, and sometimes even merit-based scholarships (depending on the school). Families should submit the FAFSA as soon as possible after it opens on October 1st of the student’s senior year.

CSS Profile
Over 200 private schools and scholarship programs additionally require the CSS Profile to determine a student’s eligibility for institutional aid (both need and/or merit-based). This online application is managed by the College Board and, similarly to the FAFSA, opens on October 1st.

WUE Tuition Savings (Western Undergraduate Exchange)
This tuition savings agreement between 160+ participating public colleges and universities in 16 Western states limits out-of-state tuition to no more than 150% of the resident tuition rate, thus allowing many families to consider out-of-state schools they maybe would have otherwise eliminated due to steep tuition. Some colleges have specific eligibility requirements (e.g. major) or annual quotas, so check deadlines and specific application requirements.

Virtual College Tours

YouVisit
Colleges and universities partner with YouVisit to create official virtual tours of their campuses. These informative tours are lead by virtual guides and feature 360-degree views at key landmarks across campus.

The College Tour
Each episode of this professionally produced TV series focuses on a single college or university and what’s it’s truly like to be a student there. Approximately 80 schools are currently featured, but more are being added all the time. These 30-minute long episodes and can be watched on “The College Tour” app or streamed on Amazon Prime Video. Great viewing for the whole family!

CampusReel
Campus Reel features a library of thousands of student-produced vlogs - a real look at colleges by real students.

TikTok
This popular app is becoming exponentially popular for sharing short, snappy, entertaining tidbits about colleges and student life. Search freely and discovers loads of content.

Other Resources

Parchment
Use this site to send your official transcripts to colleges during the application process – participating school districts only. Capistrano Unified School District uses this service.

FairTest
Check here for a running list of all current schools who are SAT/ACT test optional and their testing policy restrictions.

NACAC Virtual College Fairs
The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) hosts college fairs in the fall and spring with representatives from over 600 colleges and universities looking to connect with prospective students. In addition to thousands of curated college videos on their site, the fair sponsors information sessions, drop-in group chats, and 1:1 meetings with admissions officers. Make sure to register in advance.