College Quicklinks

College Links

Naviance www.connection.naviance.com/calhounny
Naviance is a college database for students, parents, and guidance counselors. Users are able to view and edit personal information. They are also able to view test scores, college applications and their updates, college visits, and college profiles.


Common Application www.commonapp.org
The Common App is the application of choice for over 300 public and private colleges in the United States. This excellent web site allows students to access information on colleges, to download many application supplements, and to complete the Common App online. (You can also download the Common Application here).

The College Board www.collegeboard.com
The College Board is the parent organization of the SAT, PSAT, PROFILE, and many other college admissions-related programs. Its web site contains financial aid information, a college search, test dates, practice SAT questions and much more. It is one of the best resources on the net, and it is particularly helpful when students register to take the SAT I or SAT Subject Tests, as well as when they send scores to colleges. Also, students who receive extended time or other testing accommodations will find this site useful.


The American College Testing Program www.act.org
The vast majority of colleges give equal weight to ACT scores and their SAT counterparts. In fact, many now accept the ACT in lieu of two or three SAT Subject Tests. This site provides helpful information regarding ACT programs, as well as the opportunities to register for a test and send scores online. The 2014-2015 Preparing for the ACT provides full-length practice tests, ways to prepare for the test, and what to expect on test day.

Financial Aid

CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/index.jsp
Many private colleges require applicants for financial aid to submit the College Scholarship Service (CSS) PROFILE. This form must be completed online at The College Board web site.

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) www.fafsa.ed.gov
All schools that administer federal money, and almost all of them do, require that you file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) if you apply for financial aid. You can complete the FAFSA online or in paper form. (Stay away from http://www.fafsa.com/, however; it is not associated with the US Department of Education!)
FAFSA Application Advice and Resources http://www.fafsaonline.com/
This free site contains a lot of information and advice on the FAFSA. Its FAFSA Audio Guide is a feature unique to this site that can play on the computer or download to an iPod.

FAFSA 4caster
This online tool helps students and families prepare financially for college before the senior year of high school, by providing them with an early estimate of eligibility for federal student aid including grants, and decreasing the time it takes to complete the FAFSA (for example, it pre-populates 51/102 questions on the FAFSA). It is available in English and Spanish by clicking here.

FastWEB www.fastweb.com
FastWEB is generally considered to be the best college scholarship search on the Internet. It is free. (Always be skeptical of scholarship services that charge a fee.)
Federal Student Aid www.federalstudentaid.ed.gov
Students can learn about federal aid, fill out a FAFSA, get a PIN, and search for scholarships. They should call 800-730-8913 for questions about federal student aid programs or the FAFSA.

FinAid.org www.finaid.org
FinAid is a web site managed in connection with FastWEB. It provides a comprehensive, annotated collection of information about financial aid, including information about loans, scholarships and tips on how to complete financial aid forms. FinAid.org also provides a handy Estimated Family Contribution calculator.
SallieMae: www.collegeanswer.com
This is one of the largest databases of scholarships available for free. Look for the Free Money for College link on the left side of the page. The website also provides advice on preparing for, applying to, and deciding on a college. Its scholarships search provides access to over 2.4 billion types of awards.

US Department of Education www.studentaid.ed.gov
The largest single source for financial aid in the U.S. is the federal government. This web site provides information about the Pell Grants, PLUS Loans and other aid programs.
MeritAid www.meritaid.com
A comprehensive directory of merit scholarships and academic scholarships from colleges across the country. MeritAid matches colleges and merit aid scholarships based on the student's profile that is completed online.

New York 529 Savings Plans www.nysaves.org
One of the more interesting developments in college savings strategies over the past few years has been the introduction of 529 savings plans. This web site provides information to help families understand the nature of 529 plans and to decide whether such a plan is for them. Remember, however, that saving for college is merely one part of a family’s overall financial planning strategy.

Spanish-Language Resources

FAFSA4caster

This online tool helps students and families prepare financially for college before the senior year of high school, by providing them with an early estimate of eligibility for federal student aid including grants, and decreasing the time it takes to complete the FAFSA (for example, it pre-populates 51/102 questions on the FAFSA). It is available in English and Spanish by clicking here.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund is a scholarship organization providing the Hispanic community with college scholarships and educational outreach programs. The information on this site is also available in Spanish. Click here for more information.

Latino College Dollars

This online tool is designed to help Latino students search for various scholarships. The information on this site is available in English and Spanish. Click here for more information.

SallieMae

One of the largest databases of scholarships; this website provides advice on preparing for, applying to, and deciding on a college, as well as multilingual downloadable resources.

Scholastic

This site provides a comprehensive list of scholarships and grants for scholastic financial aid. Information on this site is available in English and Spanish.

For More Information

Lisa Bianchi Merritt
Director of College Counseling
212-497-6504

Jarrad Nunes
Associate Director, College Counseling
212-497-6538

Victoria Eatman
Office Manager
212-497-6548