EXPLORING COLLEGES FROM AFAR

College Scoops: College Scoops provides parents of college-bound students with the resources they need to save time, money and stress when planning a college trip. 140+ college guides 65+ college eBooks 800+ student and parent College Scoops Ambassadors 900+ restaurant, hotels, and excursions highlighted in our eBooks. Many of our very own students have become ambassadors and help curate content! Use ANNAPOLISCOLLEGECONSULTING for your discount!

Campus Reel: Check out 15,000 real videos, tours and experiences from 300+ college campuses.

YouVisit: Virtually visit 600+ colleges for free.

Virtual Admission Events: Crowd-sourced list of colleges offering virtual admission events/open houses.

College VirtualTours: Crowd-sourced directory of virtual tour platforms offered by colleges

induck: Student-focused college guide providing a “detailed rendition of what happens socially, how different types of students navigate the social scene, and how they feel about the social scene.” Currently offering a free trial.

UCAS/Study UK Updates: Information on the COVID-19 impact on universities and study in the United Kingdom and the UCAS system

Assessing Virtual Tours for Students with Physical Disabilities/Health Conditions: Tips to support students with health conditions and physical disabilities who are taking virtual tours.

SAT/ACT/AP/IB/TOEFL TESTING

SAT Test Updates: Updates from the College Board on upcoming test dates, cancellations and postponements

ACT Test Updates: Updates from ACT on upcoming test dates, cancellations and postponements

Colleges Accepting 2020 AP Credits: List of colleges that have announced decisions regarding acceptance (or not) of 2020 AP exam scores for college credit.

IB Program/Exam Updates: Updates from the International Baccalaureate (IB) organization on upcoming exams and results

TOEFL Updates: Updates from the Educational Testing Service on TOEFL “at home” testing

Revolution Prep: FREE downloadable official ACT and SAT practice tests

Summit Education: FREE online SAT and ACT practice tests with detailed score reports

Khan Academy: FREE online SAT practice tests and resources

ACT Academy: FREE online ACT practice tests and resources

FairTest: List of test-optional colleges and universities

Test-Optional/Flexible Colleges for International Students: List of U.S. colleges that are SAT/ACT optional/blind/flexible for international students

STUDENT ATHLETES

NCAA COVID-19 Response: Updates from the NCAA for student-athletes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

STUDENT AID

Federal Student Loans: Updates from the U.S. Department of Education on Federal Student Loan Forbearance

FormSwift Financial Aid Appeal Templates: SwiftStudent helps students understand the financial aid appeal process and will help you write a financial aid appeal letter for free

Federal Student Loan Interest Rates Reach Record Lows: Rates for federal loans issued between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021 will be 2.75% for undergraduate Stafford loans, down from 4.53% this year.

DEFERRAL/GAP YEAR

What to Know About Deferred College Admission: Article from US News for students considering deferring admission due to COVID-19.

Deferral Guide: The folks at Year On have put together this FREE “Deferral Guide” with the steps you need to take if you’re considering taking a year off before college.

Is a Gap Year Right for You?: Estrela’s Amy Rice shares the Who, What and Why of considering a gap year experience.

Gap Year Association: The Gap Year Association is the only national nonprofit working to coordinate the growing Gap Year Movement.

SUMMER PROGRAM/INTERNSHIP INFO

What to Do Now That Your Summer Internship is Cancelled: Article from Forbes listing online summer options for students to consider.

Opportunities for Volunteerism from Home: List of virtual volunteer opportunities for students to consider.

iXperience: Innovative summer programs that teach in-demand skills blended with internship experience, online or abroad.

Internship Status for 2020: Crowd-sourced list of the hiring/internship status for hundreds of national and global companies.

Online Summer Programs: List from TeenLife Magazine of nearly 200 virtual summer programs for students.

COLLEGE STATUS UPDATES

List of Colleges’ Plans for Reopening in Fall 2020: A list maintained by The Chronicle of Higher Education of colleges that have either disclosed their plans or set a deadline for deciding on Fall 2020 plans for reopening.

Colleges Still Accepting Applications for Fall 2020: Voluntary listing of NACAC member postsecondary institutions that are still accepting applications from prospective freshman and/or transfer students for the upcoming fall term.

15 Fall Scenarios: Inside Higher Ed shares 15 possible scenarios that colleges may be considering for the 2020-21 academic year.

College Status Updates: Via the National Association of College Admission Counseling, a central resource for information about changes in college admission events, deposit dates, and more as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

UK Universities Status Updates: A resource from The British Council Americas with updates on UK universities’ admissions and contact information during the coronavirus pandemic.

Canadian Universities Status Updates: A resource from University Affairs providing regular updates on the situation facing Canada’s universities with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic.

S & P Outlook Ratings for Higher Ed Institutions: Updated S & P Global ratings for U.S. institutions and impact of COVID-19 on financial stability.

Resources & Websites for Your Family