A College preparatory course is a means by which college bound high school students may better meet the more stringent scholastic requirements for entry into colleges and universities. Students taking college-preparatory courses may have an increased quantity of class work, and expectations to achieve a higher level. The GPA (grade point average) weight for college-preparatory courses may have more value for college entry programs than regular courses. College prep courses are particularly appropriate for providing the academic background needed to succeed in a degree program at a college or university. Above college-preparatory in difficulty is honors, where the advanced structure while similar in many ways to college prep, requires even more effort from the student. In many schools, a student can move from college-preparatory courses to Advanced Placement courses, if they attain a certain average.
Here’s a list of very informative resources that might be of great help to students in planning effectively for college.
Connections Academy
Connections academy has compiled a unique post containing top 20 resources for college preparation. These resources would help students in planning for their higher education with a lot of options to decide from.
http://www.connectionsacademy.com/blog/posts/2011-04-08/Top-20-College-Planning-Resources.aspx
College Prep Resources
College Prep Resources, LLC offers college-bound students and their families the resources they need to successfully prepare and apply for college.
http://www.collegeprepresources.net/
Working Classroom
Working Classroom is a multi-ethnic, inter-generational community of student & professional artists, writers, actors and directors with a conscious commitment to supporting new and diverse voices and visions in the arts. The underrepresentation and caricature of historically ignored communities hampers our understanding of who we are as a nation, how we interpret our past and contemplate our future.
http://www.workingclassroom.org/education/college-prep-resources/
National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
NACAC is committed to maintaining high standards that foster ethical and social responsibility among those involved in the transition process, as outlined in the NACAC Statement of Principles of Good Practice (SPGP).
http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/Pages/Default.aspx
Scholarships.com
Scholarships.com has helped students find money for college as well as learn about the entire financial aid process. Scholarships.com makes finding the right college and the scholarships to pay for it faster than ever before.
https://www.scholarships.com/resources/college-prep/
Federal Student Aid
Federal Student Aid is a federally run organization that helps students eradicating debt burden. It also emphasizes upon the students to exercise due diligence in looking for the right college for higher education. The link below is a prime example of Federal Student Aid’s Initiative for College Preparatory resource.
https://studentaid.ed.gov/sites/default/files/financial-aid-for-natives.pdf
Student Debt Relief
Student Debt Relief has compiled a comprehensive resource for college preparation including General Resources, Test preparation Resources, College Search, Majors Overview, Financial Aid, Grants and Scholarships.
http://www.studentdebtrelief.us/knowledge-base/college-prep-resource/
Collegeprep101.com
CollegePrep-101 encourages students to investigate numerous colleges and universities before making any decisions. In addition, various enrichment opportunities while at college should also be explored.
http://www.collegeprep101.com/
KIPP NYC
KIPP NYC is a network of free, open-enrollment public charter schools preparing students for success in college and in life. Here are some of the KIPP’s resources that might be of great help.
http://www.kippnyc.org/schools/kipp-nyc-college-prep/kipp-nyc-college-prep-parent-resources/
Milwaukee College Prep
Milwaukee College Prep is a network of four K-8 public charter schools that every child in the City of Milwaukee is eligible to attend free of charge. Some of the teacher’s resources by Milwaukee are linked below:
http://milwaukeecollegeprep.com/teacher-resources/
ESC20
Esc 20 provides training to educators and school board members in their service area. They also provide cost-saving arrangements including purchasing cooperatives, grant opportunities and direct services tio students.
http://www.esc20.net/default.aspx?name=ais_sup.HB5.CollegePrep
StudentScholarshipSearch.com
Student ScholarshipSearch.com is a program created by the Edvisors network that provides an organized platform for students to search, investigate and apply for scholarships.
http://www.studentscholarshipsearch.com/tips/college-test-prep.php
Family Education
Family Education Network, the best of the Internet’s content, resources, and shopping for parents, teachers, and kids. an online consumer network of the world’s best learning and information resources, personalized to help parents, teachers, and students of all ages take control of their learning and make it part of their everyday lives.
http://school.familyeducation.com/college/college-prep/39261.html
California State University
The CSU Office of the Chancellor has developed the English Success Website (ESW) to help students, parents, teachers, and counselors learn about the CSU English Placement Test (EPT) requirement and how to meet it.
http://www.csuenglishsuccess.org/esw_students_onlineresources
LetsGetReady.org
Let’s Get Ready provides low-income high school students with free SAT preparation, admissions counseling and other support services needed to gain admission to and graduate from college. Services are provided by volunteer college students who also serve as role models and mentors.
http://www.letsgetready.org/GetStarted/High-School-Students/Resources/1/
Veritas prep
Veritas Prep’s college admissions consultants know what it takes to get into the country’s most competitive universities. From perfecting your college admissions essays to improving your Common Application to getting you ready for your high-stakes admissions interviews, they will guide you every step of the way. They have prepared a unique resource that would be highly beneficial for the students preparing for college.