Here you go - Just yesterday you were walking across the stage at your high school graduation and now you are about to head off to college! If you and your family needs help putting together the last piece of your college plan, which may be how to pay for college, our College Counselors will answer questions about what financing options are available. If things have changed since you decided upon a college this spring and you need help to making an alternative plan, again, we can help! Call us at 800.525. 2577, ext. 119 today - we wish you an amazing college experience!

Heading to college soon? Remember to set aside a budget for purchasing your textbooks. Colleges usually advise students to budget $600 per semester for their books. However, there are many ways to purchase your textbooks more economically. Learn more about hard copy versus e books, as well as some helpful tips on how to find books for your classes without breaking the bank.

This is it - your senior year of high school is about to begin! As you are planning for college, the Center for College Planning (CCP) is here to help! Visit our website for important college admissions and financial aid information and be sure check our event calendar on the homepage to see when we will be presenting at your high school.

Meeting with a college counselor at the Center for College Planning is a great way to get a head start on the college admissions process now. We can help you identify colleges you may be interested in, map out the application and financial aid processes and more! Call us at 800.525.2577, ext. 119 to schedule a free 60‑minute appointment today.

The Common Application is an online application accepted by more than 820 colleges and universities worldwide. Using this application means that you complete only one application, yet have the ability to send this application to each of your participating colleges. The Common App saves you the hassle of repeating the same information on multiple applications and allows you to manage your application deadlines and track your progress.

Not sure if the college or university you are applying to accepts the Common App? You’re in luck! The Common Application has an “Explore Colleges” section where you can determine if a particular college or university accepts this application. It will save you time and allow you to plan ahead as you progress through your application process.

If you are not applying through the Common Application, but rather online through the college or university website, you will want to make a conscious effort to provide accurate information. And of course, rules concerning grammar and punctuation must still be followed. Make sure you are notifying your school counselor when applying with a school-specific application online. Your counselor will assist you in forwarding your transcript and the necessary materials to the college as part of your application. Most colleges will not consider your application complete until all the pieces have been received.

No test can predict with 100% certainty what your level of success will be in college. That is because many factors, including personal motivation and decision‑making abilities, influence your college experience. However, many colleges use SAT and ACT scores to help estimate how well students are likely to perform in college.

The SAT focuses on the skills and knowledge at the heart of education: what you learn in high school and what you need to succeed in college. In NH, all juniors now take the test in the spring as part of the SAT School Day testing process. We encourage you to take the test more than once, however, as many colleges will “superscore” your SAT. So, if your evidence-based reading score was strong on your junior SAT School Day exam, but your math score was not exactly what you were hoping for, spending some time studying and retaking the exam can help. If you score better after a second test date on the math, many colleges will combine that math score with the evidence-based reading score from junior year to make one “superscore” for admission consideration. For more information about the SAT, and to register for any upcoming SAT test, visit collegeboard.org.

The ACT is a national college admissions examination that is accepted by all 4‑year colleges and universities in the U.S. The test is scored from 1‑36 and tests four subject areas: math, English, reading and science. There is an optional essay as well. The ACT is a curriculum‑based achievement test, measuring what a student has learned in school. Read more about the ACT here. The next ACT test date is September 8 ‑ and you can register “late” by August 26th by clicking here.

Is standardized testing a concern for you? Not all colleges require standardized test scores for admission. These colleges are considered test-optional schools. Visit fairtest.org to view a list of the schools that do not require standardized tests.

Enter the “I Am College Bound” promo contest to be entered to win a $25 Amazon gift card if you answer our quiz question about college admissions or financial aid correctly!

The “I Am College Bound” campaign provides New Hampshire high school students with the inspiration, information and planning support to pursue higher education goals. The Center for College Planning (CCP) team especially encourages low‑income students, their parents and their mentors to recognize that New Hampshire campuses and the U.S. Department of Education offer strong financial aid programs which enable eligible individuals to access financial assistance in paying for education beyond high school.