Skip to main content
Career and College Resources » College Advice and Resources

College Advice and Resources

Did you know that many college and university websites offer virtual tours so you can “visit” them without leaving home! You can usually find virtual tours under “prospective students” at each college website. Of course, it’s great if you can visit the schools in person to get a complete feel of the campus.
 
Getting good grades is an important part of getting into college, but so are extracurricular activities.
 
Get involved in at least one extracurricular activity.
If your school doesn’t have a club that you’d like, start one!
 
Participate in as many activities as possible.
 
Get involved in community service and volunteer at a nonprofit organization or business.
  • Type of school (2 or 4-year, public or private, university or liberal arts college)
  • Academics (Programs & majors offered, reputation/rank, graduation requirements)
  • Location (Large or small city, distance from home, geographic setting and weather)
  • Size (Number of students, average class size, ratio of faculty to students)
  • Admission Requirements (Min. GPA or SAT/ACT score, HS classes, acceptance rate)
  • Academic Calendar (Quarter or semester, start/end dates, scheduled breaks)
  • Student Life (On/off campus activities, athletics, clubs, safety, code of conduct, student body diversity)
  • Housing (Dorm and off-campus housing options, availability, and costs)
  • Transportation (Parking costs and availability, bus systems, nearby airports)
  • Affordability (Cost of tuition, fees and personal expenses, employment opportunities, availability of scholarships, tuition waivers, grants, etc)
  • Benefits of Attending Community College
  • Resource Guide for Students Who Are the First in the Family to Attend College - Financial Aid, Timelines, Checklists & Encouragement
  • Free resource guide for college admissions/application and financial aid information. 
  • Compare college tuition, statistics about each college and what schools match your interests by going to The College Board.
  • What’s preventing you from considering college after high school? Check out this site for ways to overcome those barriers. Big Future College Planning
  • Are you a student or adult with learning disabilities and you want a college degree? Bellevue College offers an Occupational & Life Skills degree through an accredited associate degree program. For more information, go to: Bellevue College
  • Chat with colleges live, do virtual college tours and more at College Week Live
  • Need help locating a college that provides the program you want to study…anywhere in the U.S.? You can also find links to online college applications as well as discovering your learning type through Career Cruising. You can use your school login to save potential career and college info to your online portfolio.
  • Visit with hundreds of college reps at once at a national college fair! Check out the National Association for College Admission Counseling, http://www.nacacnet.org, for dates and locations.
  • For a directory of schools in Washington that offer online courses, go to: http://www.onlineschools.org/guides/washington/
  • Find Your Context provides a unique, personalized perspective to selecting an online bachelor's or master's degree program. Decisions are made in the Context of personal history, professional experiences, and ambitions.
  • My Majors – http://www.mymajors.com is an online resource whose mission is to assist students in choosing the right major and college.
  • Looking to go to college outside the United States? Check college choice, 
  • At The Next Step Magazine‘s site – http://nextSTEPmag.com – you can enter the Ultimate College Giveaway contest. Winners are chosen monthly for a $1,000/mo scholarship and there’s an annual drawing for one-year of free tuition. Don’t forget to check out the College Match Wizard, which lets you search for schools that match our criteria. Create a profile of yourself, and send it to college recruiters. You can also learn about lots of careers.
  • QuestBridge – Programs are designed to connect bright, motivated low-income students with top educational, professional, scholarship and life opportunities. http://www.questbridge.org/for-students/students-start-here 
  • Peterson’s http://www.petersons.com – is a portal that will lead you to SAT prep programs, financial aid and admissions essay help!
  • Educational opportunities for nursing. See this website. colleges/masters/#affordable-online-masters-degrees-in-nursing.
  • Search the Online College Database, Directory of U.S. Colleges for comparison info on tuition, size, years, type, online and more: http://www.onlinecollegesdatabase.org/
  • Accredited Online Schools and Colleges is a database of every online program offered by an accredited college in the United States. Their database is a thorough list of institutions and degree programs, with in-depth information including the specific accreditation of each institution. http://www.accreditedonlinecolleges.org/degree-programs/, http://www.accreditedonlinecolleges.org/guide/
  • eMedicalAssistants – Authored by healthcare providers who have years of experience behind them, theeMedicalAssistants.com site mainly provides information on medical assisting scholarships, career, training programs, certification and accredited schools across the nation.
  • RN to BSN Online – http://www.rntobsnonline.com/
  • MedicalAssistantDegrees.net – https://www.medicalassistantdegrees.net/states/washington/ This site provides impartial information on medical assistant training programs for those looking to pursue a career in the medical assisting field. This website is specifically about medical assisting careers in Washington, together with information on training programs that are available in the state.
  • List of best value business degrees - Business Degree Online Guide
  • List of best value accounting degrees - Accounting Degree Online
  • List of best value finance degrees - Online Finance Degree Guide
  • Figuring out which degree to pursue? Search online colleges by state
 
This Online College Guide offers info on:
  • Different types of online education
  • Tuition & Cost
  • Accreditation & Quality
  • Verified consumer and expert reviews
 
Nursing Schools Near Me  -  Helps you find nursing schools and programs near where you are.
 
Find detailed listings of every university in the U.S. that offers psychology at any degree level, as well as pertinent information for that degree or state. Psychology Degree List
 
Making High School Count is a 12-page guide helping students transition from middle school to high school….and beyond! The brochure describes how you can plan for your education after high school – starting in the eighth grade. Available at http://mappingyourfuture.org/downloads/mhscstudents.pdf
 
There are 10 heavy duty savings tips to help you think differently about finances and make it through college with money to spare! - 10 Top Ways College Students Can Have More Money This School Year