Supplementing Your College Counseling

Building a college-going culture at your school is an ongoing process. These resources will help you enrich your efforts to educate students and parents about preparing and paying for college.

Minnesota Office of Higher Education

• free college planning presentations to educate students, families, teachers and the community about the many ways to prepare and pay for college
• career and college awareness curriculum and services to Minnesota Title I schools
• publications for your students to supplement your college counseling
• financial aid resources to help you answer student financial aid questions and understand the financial aid process:
  • Free Scholarship Searches
  • About Financial Aid
  • Changes That Affect Eligibility
  • Financial Aid Estimator
  • How Financial Need Is Determined
  • Minnesota Financial Aid Contacts
  • Minnesota Tuition and Fees
  • School-Specific Financial Aid

Minnesota Association for College Admission Counseling

• College Fairs - when and where Minnesota and national college fairs are held.
• Camp College - a free opportunity for rising seniors to learn about aspects of the college search and application process from college and high school counselors.

National Association for College Admission Counseling

• Preparing Students for College: What High Schools are Doing and How their Actions Influence Ninth Graders' College Attitudes, Aspirations, and Plans
• Step by Step: College Awareness and Planning for Families, Counselors and Communities - this curricula offers training for counselors and others who work with underrepresented and underserved students. It provides comprehensive tools for meeting the needs of first-generation students and their families as they navigate the college exploration and application process starting in middle school.

Other Organizations

• ACT - college and career readiness information and a counselor newsletter for K-12 counselors and administrators.
• College Board Educator Resource Center - college planning resources to support the work you do every day with students and families - including handouts & presentations, demos and tips, and access to the CollegeEd® College Planning Program (a free, standards-based college planning and career exploration program for middle and high school students).
• Great Lakes College Access Resources - workshop materials providing the essentials to conduct a successful college preparation or financial aid workshop for students. Each presentation includes detailed speaker notes, handouts, and a promotional flyer to help get the word out.
• KnowHow2Go a campaign designed by the American Council on Education to encourage students and veterans to prepare for college. Explore the site to learn more about the steps you need to take to be college-ready.
• American Student Assistance - financial knowledge and motivation students need to attend college, complete their degree, and repay their student debt.