For anyone interested in a Christian college, this parent's guide is a great resource. But the Internet is also a goldmine of information to help you in the process. And it's free!

As you surf the following sites, be sure to look for special links or tabs that say "For Parents" or something similar.

campuslifecollegeguide.com

Of course we're going to recommend our own site! You'll find more good stuff like you're reading in this special issue—articles about the college search, advice from experts and college students, tips, calendars, glossaries and much more. Plus you'll find links to many Christian colleges, where you can learn even more about individual schools.

christiancollegementor.org

This site is powered by the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU), and features more than 100 Christian schools. Your student can sign up for a free account with this site, which includes information on planning for college, selecting a school, and financial aid. The site also includes online applications for different schools.

www.edvising.net
This is the site of Educational Advising Ministries (EAM), a college and career resource service for Christian families. Here, you'll find information about e-mail and phone counseling, an online college planning seminar, and links where you can purchase helpful resources. EAM is run by Aaron Basko, a veteran in admissions counseling. Aaron wrote the article, "Be a Team Player," on page 38.

collegeview.com
This site is not from a Christian perspective, but it's a very comprehensive site that can help you in your search. Their "Test Prep" and "College Search" areas are especially helpful. In "College Search," you can plug in criteria for religious affiliation, and their database includes more than 200 Christian schools. There's also a section called "Discover the Benefits of a Christian College," plus a section just for parents.

collegeboard.com
This is another helpful secular site, especially the area called "My Organizer," where you can plug in your information and stay on top of upcoming deadlines, get reminders, update your checklist, manage other lists, and more. There's an online demo for "My Organizer" that walks you through the process. And there's a special section just for parents.

finaid.org
This comprehensive site is packed with more information than you'll probably need, but it's the best place to start. Learn about loans and scholarships. Use a calculator for figuring your costs and needs. Get help for filling out financial aid applications. Get your questions answered in the "Ask the Aid Advisor" section.

fastweb.com
Boasting a searchable database of more than 600,000 scholarships, fellowships, grants and loans, FastWeb is a free service and a great tool. You can create a personal account on the site, and FastWeb searches its database to find scholarships and other aid for which you might be eligible. And they'll send you e-mail updates when new info arrives.

fafsa.ed.gov
Go online and fill out your Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA), saving time and paperwork in the process. This site also answers some of your questions about the process, and lets you check on the status of your FAFSA.

nasfaa.org
You won't find any student aid at this site run by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, but you will find a ton of good information from the experts. Most of the site is for professionals, but if you click the "Parents & Students" link, you'll find quizzes and checklists to help you in the financial aid search. There are many helpful hints throughout the site.

scholarshipcoach.com
Ben Kaplan, now 25, won nearly $90,000 in scholarships, allowing him to go to Harvard at virtually no cost. He shares his secrets, and many other practical tips, on this site. Features include an "Ask the Coach" section, where you can ask your specific questions; a tutorial for finding scholarships on the Internet; a "Just for Parents" section; and much more.

ed.gov
Here's where you'll get the U.S. Department of Education's take on financial aid—recent legislation, paying back loans, tax credits, and more. Click on the "Financial Aid" tab to get many of your questions answered.

collegeview.com
This comprehensive site includes a thorough "Financial Aid & Scholarships" section in which you'll find a scholarship search and such topics as "Understanding Financial Aid," "Types of Financial Aid," and "Ask the Experts," with more than 100 frequently asked questions—and answers.

campuslifecollegeguide.com
Yes, we're plugging our own site again. You'll find a wealth of good advice about life at college—academics, relationships, roommates, social life, homesickness, spiritual growth, and much more. Flip through the issue you're now holding. This is the type of stuff you'll find on the Campus Life College Guide site. Think of it as a beefed-up electronic version of this issue.

rwuniversity.com
We were pleasantly surprised to find this gem, called Real World University, among sites about life at college. Real World University's creator and webmaster are both Christians, and the site is full of solid, practical advice from a Christian perspective.

One of the coolest things on the site is in the "Campus Ministry" section, with a page called "Gaining Salvation," which tells the reader how to become a Christian.

Be sure to check out the "College Life Survival" section on the site, which includes such topics as "Listening to God," "Strengthening Your Faith," and "Facing and Resisting Temptation."

Don't forget to check out the websites of the schools your child is considering, where you can learn more about college life on that particular campus.

Copyright © 2003 by the author or Christianity Today International/Campus Life magazine.
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