Tools of the Trade

Resources Every Counselor Should Know About

What are you searching for?

Answers to questions!

Different areas of study Descriptions of colleges Deadlines and policies Information you never knew you needed!

Where do you find info?

Web search engines / Websites

Books

College Websites

Search Engines: Building a List

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/

Naviance – Hobson’s database

Many, many others – but buyer beware Students’ names may be sold

Counseling Resource Books

Rugg’s Recommendations on the Colleges

(The counselor cheat sheet!)

Generally recognized strong programs in a range of academic areas:

Business Creative Writing

Engineering E-Commerce International Relations Health Services

Administration Pre-Med Musical

Theater Psychology Sports

Medicine

http://www.ruggsrecommendations.com/

Rugg’s is delivered as a searchable PDF

Counseling Resource Books: The College Board Book of Majors

•List of every college that offers a particular major

•Explanations of what students will encounter in different areas of study

•Listings of combined bachelor’s/graduate degree programs

Counseling Resource Books: The College Finder by Steven Antonoff

• Colleges supportive of learning or physical disabilities

• Colleges with large/active Greek systems

• Colleges for the shy student• Colleges where students with

Asperger’s succeed• Gay-friendly colleges• Honors programs that make large

universities feel small• Community colleges with on-

campus housing• Strong academic programs• Strong sports teams

And More!

Fiske Guide to Colleges• 2-3 page portrait of a

college

• Overlap schools – follow the bread crumbs!

• Tells whether or not the college meets full need

• Tells if interviews are available, required, or recommended

• Students like academic/ social/ quality of life ranks

• Indexes in front: colleges with support for LD students, colleges by cost, test optional colleges

The Best 377 Colleges From The Princeton Review

• Descriptions of campus life

• Stats on numbers admitted early or from waitlist

• “The Inside Word” – tidbits about the reading process

• Lists of colleges based on student survey results:

Most/Least accessible professorsHappy studentsGreat food/dorms

Colleges That Change Lives by Loren Pope

•“40 schools you should know about even if you’re not a straight-A student”

•Small, supportive college communities

•They offer college fairs around the country

•www.ctcl.org

YouTube!

Wikipedia

What your students read!

College Prowler: https://colleges.niche.com/ Reviews written by college students

College Confidential:

http://www.collegeconfidential.com/ Online discussion forum

Remember: No one source tells the whole story!

Counseling Resource Books: The College Board College Handbook

•Snapshot information of all 4- and 2-year US colleges

•Lists of colleges by admit rate

•ED/EA Table lists deadlines by college and some application/admit numbers

•Colleges that require or recommend subject tests

•Lists of Historically Black Colleges, Hispanic-Serving Colleges, Tribal Colleges

The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities or ADHD

Sorts colleges by different levels of support, complexity of services offered

Common Application Requirements

Where in the World is….?

The College Atlas & Planner from Wintergreen Orchard House

Atlas maps of colleges by state Helpful tool for planning college visit trips

Professor Pathfinder’s Colleges and Universities of the United States

Wall map of 1200+ major colleges www.uscollegemaps.com

Inside College Admissions

Admissions Confidential: An Insider’s Account of the Elite College Selection Process by Rachel Toor

The Gate-Keepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College by Jacques Steinberg

Ongoing Learning

www.hscounselorweek.com

Chronicle of Higher Education

Professional E-lists/online communities NACAC TACAC ACCIS

Words of Wisdom!