Essential tools, community resources, and everything else that doesn't fit neatly into one category, but matters.
These are the tools every college applicant should know about, used by counselors and students alike.
The central application platform for ~1,000 colleges. Create one account, one essay, apply to many schools. Opens August 1 each year.
commonapp.org ↗The federal financial aid application. Opens October 1. File as early as possible, some aid is first-come, first-served.
studentaid.gov ↗The application portal for CUNY. Separate from Common App. Free to apply. One application lets you apply to up to 6 CUNY colleges.
cuny.edu/admissions ↗The portal for SUNY applications. $50 per campus (waivers available). Apply to multiple SUNY campuses with one application.
suny.edu/apply ↗US government database of real outcomes data for every college: grad rates, earnings, debt. Use to compare schools beyond rankings.
collegescorecard.ed.gov ↗A more detailed financial aid application required by ~400 private colleges. File before your earliest application deadline. Small fee ($25 for first school, $16 each additional; waivers available).
cssprofile.collegeboard.org ↗Official partner with College Board. Full practice tests, personalized plans, video explanations. The best free SAT prep available.
khanacademy.org/sat ↗Free brainstorming exercises, essay guides, sample essays, and resources for writing your Common App personal essay. Run by a working counselor.
collegeessayguy.com ↗Search tool for finding colleges by major, location, size, test scores, and more. Build lists, compare schools, explore majors.
bigfuture.collegeboard.org ↗College search platform with merit scholarship matching. Create a profile to see which schools are likely to give you the most aid.
appily.com ↗If your school uses Naviance or Scoir, you can see historical admission data from your school, where students with your profile got in. More useful than general acceptance rates.
naviance.com ↗These organizations offer free, in-person college advising specifically for NY students who need it most.
Free academic and college prep support for NYC students pursuing CUNY enrollment. Offers tutoring, college advising, and financial aid support.
cuny.edu ↗Free college courses at CUNY for eligible NYC high school juniors and seniors. Earn real college credit before you graduate. Open to NYC DOE students.
cuny.edu/college-now ↗College access programs for Latino youth in NYC. Offers counseling, financial aid guidance, and leadership development.
aspirany.org ↗College access support and scholarship funding for students from participating NYC schools. Provides mentoring, tutoring, and college advising.
sayyestoeducation.org ↗NYC Department of Education college and career readiness resources, including the College Access for All initiative and school-based FAFSA completion support.
schools.nyc.gov ↗Common App, school lists, timelines, essay guidance, and recommendations.
Explore →FAFSA, CSS Profile, TAP, Excelsior, and how to read award letters.
Explore →50+ scholarships organized by category. NY-specific, first-gen, arts, and more.
Explore →The complete guide to CUNY and SUNY, programs, costs, pathways, and aid.
Explore →Conservatories, auditions, pre-screens, recordings, and résumés.
Explore →Coping strategies, perspectives, and crisis resources for the application season.
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