College Search Resources

1. Personal Statements

   • Overview + Sharing Your Narrative 

     • Podcast - Telling Your Story

     • Video - How to Write a College Essay  

     • Exercises - The Values Exercise  and Essence Objects

   • The Specifics + the Little Things Matter 

     • Article  and Podcast - How the Little Things Make Your College Essay Standout. Podcast linked  here. 

     • How to Write the College Essay - 20 Tips for Success. 

   • Outline + Structure, Drafting + Editing, and Examples

     • Video - How to Outline & Structure Your College Essay

     • Article - How to "Show Don't Tell" in College Essays 

     • Podcast: Using the Secrets of Screenwriting to Write Your College Essay

     • Article - 27 Outstanding Personal Statement Examples
        

2. Supplemental Essay Advice: 

   • Podcasts - Supplemental Essays and Other Types of Essays

   • Specific College Essay Advice 

     • Boston College 

     • Boston University 

     • University of Chicago 

     • Fordham University 

     • Georgetown University 

     • Harvard University 

     • Howard University

     • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

     • New York University 

     • Northwestern University  

     • University of Notre Dame 

     • University of Pennsylvania 

     • Purdue University 

     • Santa Clara University 

     • University of Southern California

     • Stanford University 

     • Tulane University 

     • Washington University in St. Louis 

     • University of Wisconsin-Madison 

     • Yale University 

Additional College Supplemental Essay Links.

 

Making the College Decision

1. Discernment through a Jesuit Lens 

   • An Ignatian Framework for Making a Decision

   • Some Ignatian Principles for Making Prayerful Decisions
      

2. Articles of Focus

   • Beginning Your College Discernment Process - Tips from a Notre Dame Counselor

   • Advice on Making Your Final College Choice

   • How To Help Your Student Decide Between Colleges 

   • College Decision Day is coming up: Here’s what to know before choosing a school 
      

3. Podcasts of Focus

   •  The Final Choice of a College: Tips for Getting it Right

   • Seniors-The Next Decisions are Yours. 

   • For Seniors-It’s the Home Stretch

1. Articles of Focus
   
   College Raptor - Build Your College List 
   Quad Education - Creating an Effective College List 
   Bentley University - How to Build a Solid College List 
   College Essay Guy - How to Choose a College 
    

2. Podcasts of Focus

   • Imagining Your College List 

   • Family Bootcamp-Tops for Building a Productive College List

   • The Pull of Prestige

Starting the Process 

• Articles of Focus

  • US News - Tips for Starting the College Search 

  • Rhodes College - Tips for the College Search 
     

• Podcasts of Focus 

  • Family Boot Camp - Keys to Getting Started with College Planning

  • Being a Partner for Your Child in the College Process

  • Overture: Your College Search Begins
     

Best Search Engines

• Scoir

• Niche

• Big Future 
   

Academic Interest / Major 

• Marquette University - Choose Your Major Quiz

• Arizona State University - Me3 Assessment 

• MyMajors - Quiz + Results

• Podcast of Focus - Admissions Beat - Major Minor 
   

Financing Your Education 

• Finding Affordable Options - Colleges That Meet Full Need

• Applying for Aid - The FAFSA 

• Appealing a Financial Aid Decision - SwiftStudent

• Scholarships 

  • GoingMerry 

  • FastWeb 

  • RaiseMe 

Podcasts of Focus 

• Family Boot Camp-Financial Aid 101

• How Will We Pay For It? 

• Thinking Through the Cost of College: Tips for Discussing Finances with Your Family

• Five Keys to Keep Your Student Debt to a Minimum

Belonging and Fit 

• Articles

  • Tufts University - Finding the Right Fit

  • Focusing on the Right Fit Makes the College Search Easier–and More Fun

College Networks

• Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) 

• University of Wisconsin System List 

• Highly Selective Institution List  

• Historically Black College and University List (HBCU)

• Hispanic Serving Institution List  (HSI)

• Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU)

• United States Military Academies 

Mental Health and the College Search 

• Podcast: Easing the Stress of the Search 

• Podcast: Youth Mental Health Crisis-How We Can Help Our Students

Articles 

• IvyWise - How to Prepare for Your College Visits 
• Princeton Review - Get the Most Out of Your College Visits 
• Niche - Juniors, Now is the Time to Schedule Your College Visits
• College Board - College Campus Tour Checklist 
• Niche - The Best Thing to Do on Your College Tour? Get Off it! 
• Niche - Take a College Visit Detour: Must Have Meetings with These Departments 
• Niche - How to Make the Most of Your Virtual College Visit

Podcasts 

• What to Ask on a College Visit 
• Your Campus Visit Roadmap 

Virtual Tour and Visit Program Resources  

• The College Tour Series 
• YouVisit College Search and Tours
• College Greenlight Students

These identified programs work with high school and college students in multiple capacities and provide academic, financial, social, and professional support to assistant historically underrepresented students to obtain a college education. 

• Boys and Girls Club 
• United Community Center 
• Upward Bound at Marquette University 
• Upward Bound at UW-Milwaukee 
• All-in-Milwaukee 
• MKE Fellows 
• Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at Marquette University 
• Center for Educational Opportunity Program (CeO) at UW-Madison

• AXS Companion - a tool to assist with completion of the Common App
• STARS (formerly SRAR) Help Sheet
• Tracking Demonstrated Interest

• Think College - College Search Tool
• Conducting a College Search: Questions to ask College Programs
• Understanding the Differences between High School and College
• Resource Guide for Inclusive Postsecondary Education for Students with Intellectual Disability