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Need help getting started with your college search?

Staff of the Fairfax County Public Library developed this subject guide to help you. It includes electronic resources available on the Internet and in databases you can access with your Library card. Print resources available in many branches of the Library are also provided. Please check the Library's catalog to see specific branch availability of particular titles. Need more information? Staff at your local branch are happy to help you.

A number of excellent Web sites provide information for college-bound students and their parents. Listed here are some starting points for gathering information on testing, on the college application process, on obtaining financial aid, and on school rankings, email addresses, etc.

• College Board Online
  http://www.collegeboard.com
  Preparing for and taking the SATs, registration dates and applications, general tips on getting ready for college.

• College Opportunities Online (COOL)
  http://nces.ed.gov/IPEDS/cool/index.asp
  A U.S. Department of Education site designed to help you obtain information about colleges. Schools are searchable by location, program of study, size, or a combination of factors.
  
  
• 2005 Colleges, Scholarships, and Financial Aid
  http://www.college-scholarships.com
  A directory of college and university admission office email addresses, arranged by state, plus supplemental links to financial aid offices, and information on tests such as GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, and homepages of "more than a thousand" colleges.
  
  
• EDUCATION site from U.S. News
  http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/eduhome.htm
  Sponsored by U.S. News Online, this site offers college and graduate school rankings and additional features such as searching for scholarships by category, listings of internships, and "hot job tracks."
  
  
• FAFSA and Title IV School Code List
  http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/fafsa.jsp?tab=funding
  Obtain either the electronic or the print version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and the Title IV School Code List from the U.S. Department of Education web site.
  
  
• Financial Aid Calculators
  http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,1120,6-29-0-401,00.html
  Use these calculators to estimate college costs, family contribution, and monthly repayment obligation for varying loan amounts.
  

The following materials are located in call numbers 378.1 through 378.73:

• Directories
  Index of Majors and Graduate Degrees
  Peterson's Guides (example: to Four Year Colleges, to Two Year Colleges, etc.)
  Fiske Guide to Colleges
  Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges
  
  
• Scholarships
  A's and B's of Academic Scholarships
  College Cost and Financial Aid Handbook
  Financial Aid for.(example: …for Women,…for Minorities,…for Asian-Americans)
  Peterson's College Money Handbook
  Scholarships, Fellowships, and Loans
  
  
• Career Resources (Specific)
  NOTE: located in call numbers 331.1 through 331.702:
  Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance
  Occupational Outlook Handbook (updated annually)
  Almanac of American Jobs and Salaries
  
  
• Career Resources (General)
  NOTE: located throughout the library, according to topic:
  To find books on specific careers using the library's online catalog, type in the name of a particular career field (such as 'nursing' or 'engineering' or 'art' or 'law enforcement') followed by the word 'vocational' and click on the Subject search button.