College Planning and Application Tools

Timeline for College Planning:

• For a general guideline of when and how to start this process, please review the College Planning Timeline

College Planning Workbook Template:

• Workbook

College Search Sources:

• • SCOIR is FRHSD's college admissions network that connects students, families, high schools, and colleges for a better admissions experience. 

  • College Board (Big Future College Search): College search software online, scholarships and register for the SAT.

  • The Hundred-Seven.org: HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) college search by major & state. 

• Fair Test.org: Full list of SAT/ACT optional colleges and universities 

• College Navigator: National Center For Education Statistics. 

• College Transitions: Dataverse lists and data to help navigate admissions and financial aid.

Glossary of Terms:

• Glossary

Before you start:

• A glossary of terms associated with college applications and admissions.

• Understanding your GPA 

The Application Process:

• FRHSD's College Application Checklist in English and in Spanish.

• FRHSD's Senior College Application Presentation. 

• Some schools require the SRAR (Self-reported Academic Record)/ SSAR (Self-reported Student Academic Record). Please refer to this guide for support.

• Common App Frequently Asked Questions

• Common App Ready; A complete toolkit of tips and best practices for completing applications successfully and on time.

• Tips and information about college admissions' interviews.

• Steps to take if a college waitlists or defers your acceptance.

• Filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the beginning of the first Steps for Applying for Financial Aid.

• Filling out the CSS (College Scholarship Service) Profile is important to be eligible for scholarships from colleges and organizations. 

• The federal government offers several sources of financial aid to help pay for college or career school. Grants, loans, work study programs and scholarships are all types of financial aid that may be awarded to students who meet eligibility criteria. 

• New Jersey's Higher Education Student Assistance Authority gave a presentation to 12th graders and their parents on the ins and outs on the different types of financial aid and how to apply for it:

  •  23-24 Financial Aid Presentation (English)

  • 23-24 Financial Aid Presentation (Spanish) 

• A current list of local and national scholarship opportunities can be found here: National Scholarship Offerings; Local Scholarship Offerings

• Freehold Regional posts local and district scholarship opportunities in the winter each year. FRHSD has a portal for students to apply for these: Instructions to Access the FRHSD's Scholarship Portal

• Want to look for more scholarship opportunities? Check out External Scholarship Sources.

Sign up to attend a virtual college fair:

• NACAC National College Fairs

• Malcom Bernard HBCU College Fair 

Questions to ask college representatives.

Campus Tours & Visits Information:

• There are several virtual tour options on individual university websites as well as the following: CampusReel and YouVisit

College Essay Ideas and Support:

• College Essay Critique Rubric 

• College Essay Guy is a popular and valuable online resource. 

  • College Essay Guy's free guide to writing a personal statement.

  • College Essay Guy's Values Exercise to help students recognize their core values and aspirations to help you write a better essay. 

  • College Essay Guy's "9 Essay Mistakes to Avoid" video. And then check out some of his other videos about essay writing on YouTube.

• The Dos and Don'ts of Writing College Essays.

• A list of local colleges with learning disabilities' support and services.

• Think College; a unique search tool that features information on 300+ postsecondary education programs for students with intellectual disability. 

• The Neurodiversity Scholarship

Students interested in competing in collegiate-level athletics can create an account through the NCAA Eligibility Site or NAIA Site.

NCAA Student-Athlete Guide

NCAA Timeline for Division I & II Athletes

Military Academies:

• United States Military Academy at West Point

• United States Naval Academy

• United States Air Force Academy

• United States Coast Guard Academy

ROTC: 

• Air Force ROTC

• Army ROTC

• Marine ROTC

• Navy ROTC

The Freehold Regional High School District hosts an annual Summer College Application Boot-Camp opportunity to all rising seniors (current juniors) who attend an FRHSD school.  Information will be provided regarding registration in the Spring of 2024.

Day 1 Materials

Day 2 Materials