College and Career Exploration and Selection Processes (NOSCA 4); ASCA Standards for (C1) Career Exploration/(C2) Achieve Future Career Goals/(C3) Personal Qualities, Education, & Career Relationship

 To help close opportunity and attainment gaps, I've highlighted in red essential career and college exploration and selection tools every SC should know and use with all stakeholders in their School Counseling Programs via SCCC lessons, planning for every student, group and individual counseling, SCP Advisory Councils, and on SCP website student career and college resource tabs (and NOSCA, the National Office for School Counselor Advocacy has multiple resources on their website-- http://nosca.collegeboard.org/eight-components/college-career-exploration ):

• 10 Most Common College Admission Mistakes (Education Now) https://www.ednow.org/id30.html
• 322 Green Colleges: A campus sustainability guide from Princeton Review https://www.centerforgreenschools.org/greenguide
• American Association of Community Colleges: AACC promotes community colleges through five strategic action areas: recognition and advocacy for community colleges; student access, learning, and success; community college leadership development; economic and workforce development; and global and intercultural education www.aacc.nche.edu/
  
• The Annapolis Group: 130 top liberal arts colleges https://collegenews.org/annapolis-group-member-colleges
• Association for Career and Technical Education www.acteonline.org...
• Big Future: Career and college exploration and planning tools (free) https://collegeboard.org
• Braintrack: 10,000 higher education institutions in 194 countries www.braintrack.com...
• Bright Outlook: Occupations expected to grow rapidly in the near future with large numbers of job openings and/or new/emerging fields https://www.onetonline.org/find/bright?b=0&g=Go
  
• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) www.bls.gov  
• Campus Pride: LBGT Student Leaders https://www.campuspride.org/
• Campus Pride National LBGTQ-friendly College Fair Program (online and traditional): http://www.campuspride.org/collegefair/
• Campus Tours: Interactive and virtual free college campus tours www.campustours.com
• Cappex: Student-centered college search and matching where students get to present themselves digitally to colleges for consideration (students control the process); school counselors can monitor the process www.cappex.com
• Career and Education Calculators: What is the value of a college education? Will I be able to pay back student loans? What is the feasibility of student loan repayment? When should I begin saving for a child's education? What are the advantages of 529 plans? What are the advantages of Coverdell ESAs? What will my loan payments be? How long until my loan is paid off? Will I be able to pay back my student loans? How much will I learn in my lifetime? Should I live on campus, off campus, or at home? https://finance.yahoo.com/calculator/index/
  
• Career Cluster Search: Discover occupations of interest to then focus education plans on obtaining necessary knowledge, competencies, and training for success in a particular career pathway https://www.onetonline.org/find/career?c=0&g=Go
• Career Cruising curriculum: Engaging and inspiring people of all ages to achieve their full potential in schools, career, and life (products include digital career and college planning tools) https://public.careercruising.com/us/en/products/
• Career Decision-Making Tool https://acrn.ovae.org/decision.htm 
• Career Guide to Industries www.bls.gov/oco/cg/home/htm
• Career Interest Game: Based on the Holland codes, an interactive digital way to assess how one's personality fits with specific work environments and careers https://career.missouri.edu/students/majors-careers/skills-interests/career-interest-game/
• Career Key: Research-based career and college major information and assessments www.careerkey.org
• Career Key Map of Career Clusters and Pathways www.careerkey.org/asp/education_options/ck_map_career_clusters.html
  
• Career OneStop: Pathways to career success www.careeronestop.org
• Career Plan, New York State (K-12) https://www.p12.nysed.gov/cte/careerplan/
• Career Planning Internet Sites (at National Career Development Association) www.associationdatabase.com... 
• Career Readiness Partner Council: Coalition of organizations in education, policy, business, and philanthropy disseminating a comprehensive vision of career readiness www.careerreadynow.org
• Career Resource Library: Careers, labor market info., workforce, development, job trends www.acinet.org
• Career Technical Education (CTE): Preparing students of all ages to succeed in education and careers—and enable the United States to flourish in a dynamic and increasingly competitive global economy www.careertech.org/ 
  
• Career Values Test: Translate your values into a negotiating position to experience the rewards of work in harmony with your feelings/beliefs about life/career satisfaction https://www.stewartcoopercoon.com/jobsearch/freejobsearchtests.phtml#mst
• Career Videos (English, Español) https://www.acinet.org/videos/COS_videos_by_cluster.asp?id=33,27,14,11,8,1&nodeid=28
• Career Zone (NY): Explore your future career path https://www.nycareerzone.org/
• Careers Out There: Video interviews of persons in various careers www.careersoutthere.com
• Catholic Colleges Online https://www.catholiccollegesonline.org
• Choosing a College Major Based on Interests and Personality Type (Holland Codes/RIASEC): Research-based https://www.careerkey.org/asp/match_up_personality_to_college_majors.htm#personality
• Christian College Guide https://www.christiancollegeguide.net
• Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success: Portfolio-based college admission application process platform of free online tools to streamline college applications available to freshmen, sophomores and juniors in high schoolhttp://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/
• College App Map: 20 new free or low-cost college apps designed to help K-16 students navigate their way into and through college as part of the College Knowledge challengehttp://collegeappmap.org/applist.html
• College Application Wizard: Free personalized college application and financial aid process plan and reminders for each step of the process for up to 10 schools https://collegeappwizard.com
• The College Board: Connecting students to college success and opportunity: (English/Español) www.collegeboard.com...
• College Board International: Study college abroad information for students around the world international.collegeboard.org
  
• College Completion: The Chronicle of Higher Education's graduation rates for USA 4-year colleges 4-6 years out https://collegecompletion.chronicle.com/college-stats/
• CollegeData.com: Free college match, college chances, admissions tracker, scholarship finder, net cost calculator, EFC contribution estimator, common application and universal common application grids, and great stories of what worked/didn't for college searches of almost 100 students with longitudinal excerpts of their year-by-year experiences in college https://www.collegedata.com
• College Fairs, LBGT-Friendly (Campus Pride): Schedule and free registration for LBGT and ally students/families www.campuspride.org/collegefair
• College Fairs, National (NACAC): Schedule and registration (free, open to students, families, school counselors)  https://www.nacacnet.org/college-fairs/Pages/default.aspx
  (Español:) https://www.nacacnet.org/college-fairs/students-parents/spanish/Pages/default.aspx
• College Fairs, Performing and Visual Arts (NACAC): Schedule and registration (free, open to students, families, school counselors) https://www.nacacnet.org/college-fairs/PVA-College-Fairs/Pages/default.aspx
• College InSight: Data on college affordability, student debt, economic and racial diversity, and student success www.college-insight.org...
• College Major and Career Search https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/majors-careers
• College Majors 101 www.collegemajors101.com
• College Major Environments--Choosing the Best Fit (using Holland Codes/RIASEC/personality/environment fit) https://www.careerkey.org/asp/education_options/holland_college_major_environments.html
• College Major-Personality Match Importance: https://www.careerkey.org/asp/education_options/personality_college_major_match_why_important.html
• CollegeMeasures.org: Informing and improving the decision-making process for students, parents, and policy makers. By making available key data through websites like our 2-year and 4-year college data tools, we enable users to make smarter decisions, and in doing so help create a more efficient, productive and effective higher education system www.collegemeasures.org
• College Navigator (at National Center for Educational Statistics) www.nces.ed.gov...
  
• College Partnerships and Articulation Agreements: Key to successful transfer-student transitions between two-year community colleges and four-year colleges and universities (all 50 states) https://www.finaid.org/otheraid/partnerships.phtml
• College Planning for Students with Disabilities https://www.educationquest.org/swd.asp 
• College Portraits of Undergraduate Education: No rankings, no spin, just the facts on 300+ public uiversities and colleges https://www.collegeportraits.org/
• College Rankings (Washington Monthly): Social mobility (recruitment/graduation of low income students), research generated, & student community service
• College Raptor: Free Search Engine to Find the Best College Match that is Most Affordable and Create an Admissions Plan for Successful Entry https://www.collegeraptor.com/https://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings_2010/national_university_rank.php 
• College Results Online: Graduation rate database for 4-year US colleges/universities (The Education Trust) www.collegeresults.org
• Colleges That Change Lives:  Advancing a student-centered college search process www.ctcl.org...
• College Week Live: Free online college fair for students and school counselors--allows real-time live chat with admissions representatives, video chats with current students, and tips on successful admission to 450+ colleges and universities www.collegeweeklive.com
• Common Data Set Initiative: Collaborative effort among higher education data providers to improve the quality and accuracy of data involved in students making college decisions www.commondataset.org
• Community College Research Center: Conducting research on the major issues affecting USA community colleges and developing practice and policy that expands access to higher education and promotes success for all students www.ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/
• Community College Survey of Student Engagement: Annual survey of community college students focused on their experiences at their campuses of active and collaborative learning, student effort, academic challenge, student-faculty interaction, and support for learners www.ccsse.org
• The Completion Arch--Measuring Community College Student Success: A web-based tool providing quick and easy access to national, state, and initiative-level data that describe the progress and success of community college students https://www.completionarch.collegeboard.org/?ep_ch=PR&ep_mid=10534038&ep_rid=41392751
• CoolWorks: Jobs in Great Places www.coolworks.com
• Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges www.coplac.org
• Economic Value of College Majors Study, "What's it Worth?" (Georgetown U. Center on Careers and the Workforce) https://cew.georgetown.edu/whatsitworth/
• Employment Guide/Worker Rights for Young Workers https://labor-studies.org/work-related/your-rights-on-the-job/your-rights-on-the-job/
• Fee Waiver Request Form for College Applications from NACAC  http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/feewaiver/Pages/default.aspx
• Find the Best College for You: Focus on the information that matters (Consumer Reports) https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/resources/streaming/college-choices/final/college-choices.htm
• Fiske Guide to Colleges: Print and online versions by former NYT editor with college countdown blog www.collegecountdown.com/store/fiske-products.html
• Future Job Projections (USA): www.bls.gov/oco/oco2003.htm
• Going to College: Selecting a college and living college life for persons with a disability https://www.going-to-college.org/overview/index.html
• Green Jobs www.bls.gov/green/
• Harry Potter Myers-Briggs Type Indicator https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/12/harry-potter-myers-briggs_n_3914498.html
• How to Protect from (College) Ranking Mania: https://monoborg.law.indiana.edu/lawrank/rankingmania.shtml
• High-Quality Decision Making (research-based ACIP model:  alternatives, consequences, information, plans) https://www.careerkey.org/asp/your_decision/high_quality_decisions.html
• Hillel's College Search: Guide to Jewish Life on Campus www.hillel.org
• How to Write a Resume: https://www.howtowritearesume.net/resumebuilder.aspx 
• Indeed.com: Job search, one search, all jobs www.indeed.com
• Information Interviewing: 8 steps of career exploration https://www.careerkey.org/asp/career_development/information_interviewing.html
• International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance (IAEVG) (Deutsch, English, Español, Français): Educational and career development www.iaevg.org
• International Model for School Counseling Programs: Adding global/cultural/family domain/standards/competencies to ASCA Model (click on International Counseling Standards): https://www.aassa.com/page.cfm?p=356
• Job Corps: free education/training for youth, career and GED/high school diploma education www.jobcorps.gov 
• Job-Hunt.org www.job-hunt.org...
• Job Shadow: Shadow real people's jobs online www.jobshadow.com
• Jobs for the Future: Education for economic opportunity www.jff.org
• LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index: National listing of LBGT-friendly campuses www.campusprideindex.org
• Lord of the Rings Myers-Briggs Type Indicator https://churchmag.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/LOTR-Personality-Chart4.jpg
• The More You Learn the More You Learn https://www.educationplanner.com/students/career-planning/explore-salary-pay/more-learn-more-earn.shtml
• Multicultural Career Counseling Minimum Competencies https://associationdatabase.com/aws/NCDA/pt/sp/guidelines
• My First Resume https://www.careerkids.com/resumeSL.php 
• My Future, My Way--First Steps toward College: Student Aid on the Web's Middle School College Planning Site (includes downloadable workbook) (English, Español) https://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/introducing.jsp?backURL=/gotocollege/collegefinder/advanced_find.asp&Language=en&returnurl=/students/english/introducing.jsp
• MyMajors Free tool using web or phone app that allows selection of possible colleges, college majors, and careers https://www.mymajors.com/
• My Next Move: What do you want to do for a living? (free career planning) https://www.mynextmove.org/
• NACAC Directory of College Access and Success Programs http://www.nacacnet.org/learning/communities/casp/Pages/default.aspx
• National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU): includes UCAN profiles of most independent colleges and universities www.naicu.edu...
• National Career Development Association (NCDA): Internet-based career planning resources https://associationdatabase.com
• National Career Development Guidelines: https://associationdatabase.com/aws/NCDA/pt/sp/guidelines
• National Career Development Guidelines Activities for High School Students (digital educational games) https://acrn.ovae.org/ncdg/ncdg_activities.htm
• National Collegiate Honors Council: Professional association setting standards and developing staff, faculty and students in honors programs in 2-year and 4-year colleges www.nchchonors.org
  
• National Survey of Student Engagement: Annual report of undergraduates' college experience, use of time, and gains/benefits from college attendance https://nsse.iub.edu...
• Naviance: Naviance empowers schools to increase student achievement through a structured approach to course, college, and career planning and advising www.naviance.com/about
• O*NET Online: Career exploration and job analysis https://online.onetcenter.org
• Occupational Employment Statistics and Wage Estimates www.bls.gov...
• Occupational Outlook Handbook: (English) www.bls.gov... ; (Español)  www.bls.gov
• Occupational Outlook Quarterly online www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/home.htm
• Parents' Role in Career Development for Children and Youth: https://www.careerkey.org/asp/career_development/parents_role.html
• Paws in Jobland free online career lessons for K-5 https://paws.bridges.com/cfnc1.htm
• Payscale: Large database of self-reported individual employee compensation profiles (not a scientifically accurate sample; doesn't include self-employed, folks who went to graduate school, or part-time college students), it provides a snapshot of the current job market for future career and college major decisions.  www.payscale.com
• QS World University Rankings (interactive international website with resources for international study abroad and in the USA with visa requirements, by affordability, by region, by country, and by major, a based on six criteria: Academic reputation (among academics), employer reputation, faculty/student ratios, citations per faculty, international student ratio, international staff ratio) http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2014#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=
• The Real Game evidence-based career development curriculum: Research-based curriculum helping students and adults imagine, as clearly as possible, through role-playing, experiential future-based scenarios, the future they would love to be living, so they can become intentional and purposeful in achieving their dreams (Grade 3-adult) https://www.realgame.org/
• SchoolSpring: The employment source for educators  www.schoolspring.com
• Science Buddies: Science fair project ideas & STEM career descriptions www.sciencebuddies.org
• Self-Directed Search: Research-based electronic assessment to discover careers and college major(s) that match your interests and abilities www.self-directed-search.com/
• Social Mobility Index: Stimulating policy changes in US higher education to reverse the dangerous economic divergence between rich and poor through affordable and accessible college experiences that bring poor and working class students greater economic gains versus the wealthy www.socialmobilityindex.org
• Study in Taiwan www.studyintaiwan.org/en/index.html
• SummerJobs.com www.summerjobs.com
• TASC Test Assessing Secondary Completion: CTB/McGraw Hill's GED alternative https://tasctest.com
• Teachers-Teachers.com Free job-hunting website for educators including School Counseling positions nationwide https://www.teachers-teachers.com/
• Vocational Schools Database (RWM) www.rwm.org
• What's It Worth: The Economic Value of College Majors Study (Georgetown U. Center for Workforce Development, 2012) https://www9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/pdfs/whatsitworth-complete.pdf
• Women's College Coalition: Transforming the world through the education and success of women and girls www.womenscolleges.org
  
• Work Colleges Consortium: Seven liberal arts colleges integrating work, learning, and service www.workcolleges.org
• World-of-Work Map: How occupations relate to each other based on work tasks--working with data, data & things, working with things, ideas & things, working with ideas, people & ideas, working with people, peole & data www.act.org/world/plan_world.html