College Resources
College Search Engines
Students beginning to look for a college that will fit their personal needs and style can begin by using one of the on-line databases of college information through a popular search engine. By providing information about plans, interests, and personal preferences in a college, the search engine will provide a listing of colleges that will fit the particular criteria. In most college search engines, the student can change the criteria for the search and create a different list of colleges. It can prove useful to use a couple of different search engines in the process of looking for colleges, since each search engine looks at data in a slightly different manner.
The CollegeBoard
The CollegeBoard provides the ability to search for colleges providing a consistent picture of the institutions, an internet link to the college web site, and relevant financial information.
StudentEdge
StudentEdge is a free online college and career planning resource center sponsored by Peterson's. It offers tools to help all high school students take ownership of the college planning process by letting them find scholarship money, prepare for exams, search for colleges, and explore career interests.
Visiting a College
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then seeing a college campus should play a part in the process of selecting a college. Students should take advantage of family travel opportunities to visit colleges of potential interest. By contacting the Office of Admissions before arriving on campus, it is often possible to arrange for a campus tour and possible meeting with admissions counselors to have any questions about college life addressed. If a family is unable to actually visit a particular campus because of distance or timing, it is possible to take a "virtual" campus visit by linking with the web site below. Campus Tours provides an excellent window into the campus of your choice.
It is the policy of Cumberland Christian School to allow juniors and seniors to visit a college campus during the regular school year. Students are limited to two visits each year. A written request should be submitted to the high school office in advance of the absence and a dated letter from the college must be provided to the high school office following the visit. The letter from the college should indicate the fact that the student did visit the college on the particular date.
Learn more about campus tours here.
Visits with College Representatives at CCS
Colleges and universities often contact Cumberland Christian School and make arrangements to visit students on our campus. Normally these visits are scheduled during the high school lunch period. Announcements of a scheduled visits are posted on the guidance calendar and the news links below. Parents are welcome to come and meet with the representatives during these visits. Parents should notify the guidance office in advance so that the representatives can be prepared to assist with any concerns. The guidance office will work with schools, parents, and students to provide for additional meeting during a school day with adequate notice.
College Fairs
The opportunities to travel to a particular campuses are not always available to students and families. Often times it is impossible to reach the campuses in different regions of the country. In those cases, the opportunities presented at a college air may suit the needs of a family.
Off Campus Public Meetings for Particular Colleges
The Guidance Office occasionally receives information concerning special visit weekends or events and regional meetings for colleges that are unable to visit individual high schools. A mixture of information is made available on the links below as information is received. Please check carefully the details of the information posted for accuracy and any advanced arrangements that are required.
Ministering At Your College
Families investigating a college will certainly need to examine the opportunities for spiritual growth on a college campus. In addition to evangelical churches within the college community, frequently there are active ministries on a college campus that engage in evangelism and discipleship among the students. Active participation in campus ministries and Bible studies will assist a student in keeping an active faith while away from home surroundings. While not every college has representatives from every campus ministry, the sites listed below are a few of the major non-denominational ministries active on the college campus toady. On the home page can be found links to contacts with individuals on particular campuses. Make certain to check and see what is happening on the campus of choice. Also make certain to check with a home pastor or youth pastor about denominational campus ministries at a college under consideration.
Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ)