The tools worth bookmarking
The college planning world is full of noise. These are the 43 official applications, government tools, and free guides we point families to most often — organized by where you are in the journey.
CollegeDI is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organizations listed below. These links are provided as external resources for students and families. External websites may have their own privacy policies, terms, and account requirements.
Start Here
The official applications and deadline references every family needs before anything else.
Federal Student Aid / FAFSA
Official application for federal student aid, including grants, work-study, and federal student loans.
studentaid.gov
Types of Federal Student Aid
Overview of federal grants, work-study, loans, and scholarships.
studentaid.gov
FAFSA Deadlines
Federal and state FAFSA deadline information.
studentaid.gov
CSS Profile
College Board application used by some colleges and scholarship programs for non-federal institutional aid.
cssprofile.collegeboard.org
CSS Profile: Getting Started
Helpful starting point for CSS Profile requirements, fee waivers, participating schools, and application preparation.
cssprofile.collegeboard.org
College Cost & Comparison Tools
Compare real costs, outcomes, and aid offers — not sticker prices.
College Scorecard
U.S. Department of Education tool for comparing colleges by cost, graduation rates, student debt, earnings, and other outcomes.
collegescorecard.ed.gov
College Navigator
National Center for Education Statistics tool for searching and comparing colleges.
nces.ed.gov
Net Price Calculator Center
U.S. Department of Education resource for finding college net price calculators.
collegecost.ed.gov
College Board Net Price Calculator
Search tool for colleges that use College Board's net price calculator platform.
bigfuture.collegeboard.org
CFPB: Your Financial Path to Graduation
Tool for estimating total borrowing, out-of-pocket costs, and affordability based on a financial aid offer.
consumerfinance.gov
BigFuture: Review & Compare Financial Aid Awards
Guide to understanding and comparing financial aid offers.
bigfuture.collegeboard.org
Federal Student Aid Repayment Calculator
Official federal student loan repayment calculator.
studentaid.gov
College Applications
The major application platforms and step-by-step guides for using them.
Common App
Application platform used by many U.S. colleges and universities.
commonapp.org
Common App First-Year Application Guide
Step-by-step guide for completing a first-year Common App application.
commonapp.org
Common App First-Year Toolkit
Worksheets, guides, and tips for the first-year application process.
commonapp.org
Common App Essay Prompts
Current Common App essay prompt reference.
commonapp.org
Apply Coalition with Scoir
Application option for Coalition member colleges through Scoir.
scoir.com
Common Black College Application
Application platform for applying to participating HBCUs.
commonblackcollegeapp.com
Admissions Guidance
Broad guidance on the college search and admission process from counseling organizations.
NACAC Student Resources
College search and admissions resources from the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
nacacnet.org
NACAC Guide to the College Admission Process
Broad guide covering the college search, application process, and admission planning.
nacacnet.org
NACAC Prep for College
Student-facing resources for preparing for college admission.
nacacnet.org
Purdue OWL Undergraduate Applications
Writing and application resources for undergraduate admissions.
owl.purdue.edu
College Essays
Free lessons, examples, and writing guidance for application essays.
BigFuture Ultimate College Essay Guide
College Board guide to planning, writing, and improving college application essays.
bigfuture.collegeboard.org
BigFuture: Tips for an Effective Application Essay
Student-friendly tips for writing college application essays.
bigfuture.collegeboard.org
Khan Academy College Admissions Essays
Free lessons and examples for college admissions essays.
khanacademy.org
Khan Academy: Applying to College
Free college application guidance, including essays, recommendations, and interviews.
khanacademy.org
Purdue OWL: Advice for Writing Application Essays
Writing-focused guidance for undergraduate application essays.
owl.purdue.edu
College Essay Guy Free Resources
Third-party essay and application guides, webinars, and student resources.
collegeessayguy.com
Scholarships & Aid Search
Legitimate scholarship search tools, state aid programs, and how to spot scams.
Federal Student Aid: Scholarship Tips
Official tips for finding and applying for scholarships.
studentaid.gov
BigFuture Scholarship Search
College Board scholarship search tool.
bigfuture.collegeboard.org
BigFuture Scholarship Directory
Directory of scholarships available through BigFuture's scholarship search tool.
bigfuture.collegeboard.org
CareerOneStop Scholarship Finder
U.S. Department of Labor-sponsored scholarship and financial aid search tool.
careeronestop.org
Scholarship America: Browse Scholarships
Scholarship America's currently open and upcoming scholarship opportunities.
scholarshipamerica.org
NASFAA: Financial Aid in Your State
State-by-state financial aid program information.
nasfaa.org
FTC: How to Avoid Scholarship & Financial Aid Scams
Consumer protection guidance for identifying scholarship and financial aid scams.
consumer.ftc.gov
Testing & Test Prep
Official SAT and ACT registration and free practice resources.
College Board SAT Practice & Preparation
Official SAT practice resources, including Bluebook practice tests and SAT prep guidance.
satsuite.collegeboard.org
Khan Academy Official Digital SAT Prep
Free official Digital SAT prep in partnership with College Board.
khanacademy.org
ACT
Official ACT testing, registration, and practice resource.
act.org
Careers, Outcomes & ROI
Explore careers, pay, and job outlook before committing to a major.
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics career resource covering pay, outlook, education, and job duties.
bls.gov
O*NET Online
Detailed occupation exploration and job analysis tool.
onetonline.org
O*NET Interest Profiler
Career interest assessment connected to O*NET occupation data.
onetinterestprofiler.org
Special Opportunity Programs
Admission and full-scholarship programs for high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds.
Great tools. But what does it all mean for your family?
These resources tell you what exists. CollegeDI tells you what you can afford — starting with a free affordability assessment.