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College Planning & Application Tools – Search, apply, and stay on track

 
Applying to college is one of the most important journeys a student can take—and the right tools can make it far less stressful.
 
This section gathers top-rated resources to help you explore schools by size, location, and programs, organize your application materials, track deadlines, and write strong personal essays. With platforms like Common App and Coalition App, college search engines, and expert essay guides, you can stay focused, meet key milestones, and present your best self to admissions committees.
 



College Search Engines

​BigFuture
(College Board)

Search over 4,300 colleges by major, location, campus size, and more.

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College Raptor

Helps students find colleges based on academic match, financial aid, and admissions chances.

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​Peterson’s
College Search

Filter schools by academics, tuition, and scholarships.
 

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CollegeData

Offers a robust College Match tool, plus admissions calculators, scholarship data, and personal “College Chances” estimates.

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Niche
 

Explore rankings, student reviews, diversity, and outcomes.

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Appily
 

Compare colleges with reviews, admission stats, and virtual tours.

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Common App & Coalition App

Common App (Official)

Applies to over 1,000 colleges in one platform, simplifies application management, and tracks deadlines.
 

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Coalition App
(via IvyWise guide)

Accepted by 160+ institutions; includes helpful tools like the “Locker” for saving essays and documents.

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​Scoir
(Coalition for College)

Streamlines applying to Coalition schools, including fee waiver support and progress tracking.

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Common Black College Application

Apply to over 60 HBCUs with one application for just $20.

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College Application Essay Tips & Examples

College Essay Guy
 

Features 27 standout essay examples to learn structure, tone, and content that worked.
 

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Johns Hopkins
Essays That Worked

Real student essays with admissions commentary on what made them stand out.

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Harvard Summer School Blog

Offers 12 strategies including authenticity, strong openings, reflection, and avoiding clichés.
 

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Get Schooled

Personal Statement Help

Free downloadable worksheets, brainstorming guides, and structure tips.

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Princeton Review

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Expert tips like “write about what matters to you,” “reflect, don’t recount,” and “draft early and revise."

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Vox Article
 

What admissions officers really want: personal voice, vivid anecdotes, unique perspective.
 

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College Application Deadline Trackers

​SayHelloCollege Application Tracker

Free downloadable tracker to help organize applications, deadlines, and materials.

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Get Schooled Application Requirements Tracker

​Maintains application requirements and due dates in a shareable, editable format.

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​Cialfo

A modern platform that offers college matching, application tracking, and deadline management in one dashboard.

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Schoolinks College Application Manager

​Centralizes tracking of requirements, deadlines, and application status for students.

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