College and University

The Pro's & Con's of Applying Online | College Financing | Dalat Resources Available | Career Resources

The purpose of this page is to provide you with links to resources available to you via the Internet or in the Student and Family Resource Center. The links are not designed to be comprehensive, but are meant to serve as a launching point to get you started.

Helping you in the College Application Process
Dalat Documents	Web Sites of Interest There are several websites that help you search and find colleges and keep track of deadlines in your college application process.
Application Worksheet Request for Recommendation and Waiver Form Transcript Request Form Senior Exit Interview Form Pre-College Checklist	Colleges & Universities USA Peterson's College Search College Quest   Christian College Mentor  CollegeView.Com  Intervasity Student Soul US News Education Site   Campus Tours   Campus Dirt College Search	EduPass (International Students) Peterson's College Guides The College Board My College Guide The Princeton Review Princeton Review Applications Online Colleges By Country (Yahoo) Index of American Universities
	Other Overseas University Portals
	Australian Universities British Universities Canadian Universities   Canada School Finder	New Zealand Universities   Singapore Universities   World University Rankings  Yahoo School Rankings
See more PDF's in the Download Center... See also International Boarding School Links

When you are researching information about colleges, keep in mind that you have many resources at your disposal. You may choose to . . .

• e-mail students who are currently enrolled in the college of your interest,
• log into a newsgroup or chat room to discuss topics (such as choosing a major or finding a private college in New York),
• contact alumni who may be good sources of information about the college itself and even job opportunities,
• write to faculty who can be especially helpful in providing you with information about courses you are interested in, and
• e-mail admissions and financial aid personnel who are important sources of contact.

Questions to ask official school people . . .

• amount and type of financial aid packages available,
• average SAT or ACT scores of students who have been admitted,
• life in the dorms and campus security,
• how accessible are the professors,
• what percentage of classes are taught by graduate students instead of professors, and so forth.

Questions to ask students enrolled in the college you're
interested in . . .

• are there Christian groups available?
• how easy is it to study in the dorms?
• can you get the classes you want and need?

Look into both official and unofficial college sites to get a broader perspective of the institution . . .

• official site = the college itself provides the information and it is intended to present itself as favorably as possible
• unofficial site = other sources (i.e. alumni, faculty, students, student newspaper group) provide information and opinions about the institution

The Pros and Cons of Applying Online:

Pros:

• speeds and simplifies the process of sending and receiving mail from overseas
• enters common information on all applications
• eliminates using a typewriter and having messy corrections
• provides quick and easy access
• creates a personal record and simplifies tracking your application
• facilitates applying for financial aid, scholarships, and housing
• establishes an e-mail link to the admissions office

Cons:

• repeated updating of password for privacy of information
• periodic technical problems on the Web
• availability of financial information such as credit card numbers
• duplication of effort because many colleges require a paper copy of your application (or you may want a printout so your counselor can review it before you submit it)
• transcripts and letters of recommendation must be mailed separately

For whichever method you decide to use, be sure to carefully follow instructions throughout the application process and save all the information you have submitted (on disk or on paper).

College Financing

Financial need is determined by taking the cost of attendance (including tuition, room and board, books) and subtracting the amount your family is able to contribute. Financial aid comes in the following forms; grants (money from federal and/or state governments, institution, or private organizations that doesn't need to be repaid), scholarships (money awarded by the institution for achievement or ability), on-campus work-study programs funded by the federal government, and student loans (money to be repaid with interest).

Financial aid is awarded to students based on evaluation of family income, assets, size, and other factors. The only way to find out if you are eligible to receive aid, is to submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Don't rule out a college of choice because of cost.

Many colleges have substantial funds to enable them to meet the needs of students they want. To do so, they need to use a need analysis formula that takes into account factors that contribute to your need. Questions and answers on financial aid, glossary of financial aid terms, resources in financing college.

Financial aid services provided by The College Board, including financial aid calculator, scholarship search, comparing awards and applying for loans. SmartStudent Guide to Financial Aid provides information on financial aid sources, scholarship, military aid, link to the FAFSA, and an "Aid Advisor" for personalized help. Information on financial aid from the U.S. Dept. of Education, including the electronic version of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). This site will walk you through the process from beginning to end.

Warnings on scholarship search scams with public service messages and place to file a complaint. Federal and state government web sites (U.S. Department of Education). Yahoo! Directory links for college scholarships including international education sites and a link to warnings on scholarship search scams from the Federal Trade Commission.

CollegeView's guide to basic financial aid questions, understanding financial aid, and a scholarship search. Sallie Mae, the nation's leading provider of student loans and administrator of college savings plans, has helped millions of Americans achieve their dream of a higher education.

A free scholarship search is available through FastWeb.

Some Resources available in the Student and Family Resource Center and the Dalat Library

• College Scholarships and Financial Aid
• College Cost and Financial Aid Handbook (The College Board)
• The Scholarship Handbook (The College Board)
• The A's and B's of Academic Scholarships
• CSS/Financial Aid Profile application (The College Board)
• The College Handbook
• The Fiske Guide to Colleges
• The Best 361 Colleges
• The International Student Handbook
• Index of Majors and Graduate Degrees

The Student and Family Resource Center has a number of books students may check out. Recommended are the following:

• The International Student's Guide to the American University - from Choosing the Right School to Adjusting to Campus Life
• How to Stay Christian in College - An Interactive Guide to Keeping the Faith

According to Kenneth Hartman's "Internet Guide for College-Bound Students," the best source of information on financial aid is each college's own Web site. Look for answers to the following questions:

• What percentage of incoming students receive some kind of grant, work-study, or loan? And what was the average dollar amount of each?
• Is the college's financial aid policy for first-year students different from the policy for second/fourth-year students? Can I expect a comparable financial aid package for each year that I'm enrolled?
• What is the average loan burden of graduating students?
• If financial need is only partially covered, does the college provide help in finding other funding to meet the remaining costs?
• Do Early Decision applicants have a better chance of getting financial aid?
• Does my status as an international student affect my chances of receiving financial aid

For more information, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA ) will provide you with basic and in-depth financial aid advice for parents and students.

Career Resources

The Student and Family Resource Center has several things that will help you as you try to decide on a career.

There are several online resources that you may want to explore:

• The Career Key offers a quick test that gives you a broad list of careers that you may be interested in pursuing.
• Assessment.com offers a very comprehensive site with lots of detailed result information.
• Virtual Job Shadow allows you to watch a “day in the life” video profile of different occupations.