Updated: July 28, 2015

College Admission Information

The college admissions process is more competitive than ever as students are applying to more schools, taking the SAT and ACT multiple times, and relying heavily on scholarships and other financial aid to help them pay for school. With increasingly stiff competition and high stakes, students require all the assistance possible when it comes to choosing a college and applying. Free information abounds online but high school students may not know where to start looking or even what to look for to help them prepare for college. Based on our knowledge, experience and research, we have compiled a multitude of resources to help students navigate college admissions from the very start of college planning to the end of the college application process.

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Standardized Testing

The most well-known and well-lamented aspect of the college application process seems to be standardized testing. The prospect of three-plus hours of filling in bubbles is enough to fill most college-hopefuls with dread. The importance of receiving a good test score also prompts anxiety. Standardized test preparation can help students overcome test anxiety and raise their test scores, potentially helping them secure a better college placement or a more generous financial aid package. The standardized testing resources on Scholarships.com help students begin the process of preparing for their testing day regardless of which test being taken. Here, students can find overviews, sample questions and tips from members of our staff who have had positive standardized testing experiences. We also provide regular updates on standardized testing news on our blog.

High School Action Plan

High school students may see attending college and winning scholarships as ultimate goals but they may not know exactly how to reach those goals. Making and sticking to a plan of action can help high school students realize their college goals. We’ve prepared a high school action plan for freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors to keep them on track for graduation and college admissions. Included are when they should meet with their college counselor, what to discuss, and what they should be doing academically and in their extracurricular activities to stand out on college and scholarship applications.

College Prep

Preparing for college goes beyond good standardized test scores or taking challenging classes while participating in athletics, community service or other extracurricular activities. There is an overwhelming amount of consideration and questioning that occurs in the college selection process: Students will not only have to make the right college choice but also choose a college major. Many of them may even have to decide whether or not to go to college at all. To help students prepare for college life and navigate the decisions they need to make to set and ultimately reach their college goals, we have a wide range of college preparation materials available. We have information on preparing for college, applying for college, choosing a major, choosing the right school and even succeeding in college classes. Students can also check out the information we provide on study skills and campus life, as these pages can help answer questions about college and present students with more questions to ask themselves, their counselors and others to help them get ready for college. Our goal is to help students become more engaged in their college preparation and to enable them to plan for and create success in their lives after college.