1. Attend a Four-Year University (Public or Private)
There are many benefits to attending a public or private, such as long-term earnings potential, less likelihood of unemployment, and increased community engagement. Here are some useful internet resources to help you plan for financial and student success.
Resources
Resources for Undocumented Students
Resources for Undocumented Students can be found on the Accredited Schools Online website which has put together a series of open-use guides to help promote college success for undocumented students. Topics include information about financial aid, student and constitutional rights, DACA legislation, and more.
The Best Schools
The Best Schools.Org has up-to-date and useful resources about online colleges, financing an education, and specific degree clusters to help you find the best college and degree for you. Check out their Getting Into College Series.
My College Options
The My College Options Resource Center provides up to date news and information for students and parents.
College Board
This site was created by the makers of the S.A.T. Exam. Their College Search feature allows you to filter information such as Test scores and Selectivity, Type of school, location, campus & Housing, and more
College Navigator
College Navigator is a useful research tool that provides general information about tuition, fees and estimated student expenses, Cost of Attendance, Graduation Rates and more.
College Reality Check
This site gives you the option to select different schools and visually compare different statistics between the two.
College Tips
College Tips features information you wouldn’t find on most college planning sites such as advice about college life, college classes, college planning and more.
Best Colleges
This site contains an updated collection of college rankings to keep you informed about what schools across the country have to offer in terms of top-rated academics and student lifestyle.
Campus Explorer
Find 4-year colleges and universities and learn more about the benefits of obtaining your bachelor’s degree.
College Expos/Fairs
Free and open to the public, the Prince George’s National College Fair allows students to interact with admission representatives from a wide range of postsecondary institutions. Start your college search for free at a NACAC National College Fair!
If you are a high-school junior, senior or a college transfer student, attend the 16th Annual Black College Expo and meet one on one with top HBCUs, including a variety of other colleges and universities and get answers right on the spot.
The Financial Aid Process and Scholarships
The Student Aid Report (SAR) is a paper or electronic document that gives you some basic information about your eligibility for federal student aid and lists your answers to the questions on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form that can be prepared annually by current and prospective college students (undergraduate and graduate) in the United States to determine their eligibility for student financial aid.
Fastweb is the premier online resource for paying and preparing for college. Since 1995, they have excelled in providing students with the resources to realize their educational pursuits, from the time they begin their college search in high school, to the day they land their first job after graduation.
CollegeNET.com is the first social network in the higher education arena that awards weekly and quarterly scholarships to students based on interactive participation and peer-voting.
Scholarships for Maryland Residents
Scholarships, Grants, And Other Awards In Maryland
This is a great site that has been helping students pay for college since 1999
Maryland 529 College Savings Plans
The Maryland 529 offers two easy and smart ways to save. You have two smart college savings plans: The Maryland Prepaid College Trust and The Maryland College Investment Plan. Both plans are affordable, flexible, and offer tax-advantages for contributions to the plan.
College Scholarships
College Scholarships features a list of website links to help you learn about exciting scholarship opportunities for Maryland state residents.
My College Options Maryland Scholarship List
This website features the most up to date scholarship matches based on your search criteria. Registration is required.
State Financial Assistance Programs & Applications
This is a wonderful resource page sponsored by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC). Their resource page features important information about Maryland State’s Financial Assistance Programs & Applications, including the Educational Assistance (EA) Grant or Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant Programs
Maryland Scholarships
There are millions of college scholarships worth billions of dollars available to students across the country. By using a student’s state of residence or college attendance as one of the search criteria, Scholarships.com can help students find awards created especially for Maryland residents.