College Admissions Blogs and Online Resources

Best Online Resources for College Admissions Help Living in a digital age means many parents and students turn to the Internet first when looking for guidance with the college admissions process. With the Common App completely digital, virtual campus tours, a host of information on college websites and even virtual college fairs, it’s only natural that families seek out tips and information on the web. There are many online resources (including the blog and newsletter!) that can help high school students develop a college list, plan for standardized testing, gain insight into how the admissions process works, and get tips to improve chances of admission. Here are some of our favorite online resources for help when applying to college. College Navigator – This is a great resource for doing some preliminary research on a school you’re interested in. Hosted by the US Department of Education and the National Center for Education Statistics, this is a reliable source with a wealth of data about schools. This is also a great resource when researching the cost of college, as it provides insight into the average â€Å"net price† that students in different income brackets pay after receiving financial aid. College Board – Not only does this site provide information on PSAT, SAT, and AP testing, but it also has a great college planning section that can help students research schools, careers, the cost of college, and tips on how to put together a stellar essay. ACT Student – The ACT site provides information on test dates and registration for the ACT, and, like College Board’s site, also hosts college search and planning resources. LinkedIn University Pages – With the launch of this new college research resource and the announcement that users 14 and up can now sign up on LinkedIn, students can do more thorough research into potential colleges and universities. This is especially helpful if you’re concerned with ROI. You can track alumni career paths and get insight into the job placement and post-grad success of a particular institution’s graduates. PayScale – Another good resource for insight into a college’s ROI is PayScale’s College Education Value Rankings. At we encourage families not to look at a school’s number ranking, but instead at the different components that a school is evaluated on to identify the aspects that matter most to them. PayScale’s rankings reflect ROI, which many rankings are now looking at in the form of post-grad success. This is a good component to take into consideration when building a balanced college list. NYT Learning Blog – The New York Times’ popular admissions blog The Choice may no longer be around, but the blog’s former editor put together a handy guide of all the blog’s articles and resources in place for easy navigation. Harvard Crimson Admissions Blog – Harvard’s student newspaper recently started its own college admissions blog that provides tips and expert insight into the admissions process. MIT Admissions Blog – This fun and informative blog from the MIT admissions office provides helpful tips and insight with a laid-back and conversational tone–– perfect for high school students. UVA Admission Blog: Notes from Peabody – This is another great blog run by an undergraduate admissions office–– this time at the University of Virginia. This resource has a fun yet informative tone, and offers insight into the day-to-day tasks of an admissions officer and tips on how to put together the best application. What other online resources are you finding helpful while planning for college? Tell us in the comments below! For other helpful resources, don't forget to check out our Research Tools page.