Education, Training and Financial Aid

Education & Training
Resources

Discover who you are, what your skills and abilities are, and then find a career that fits you

Education and Training Resources — North Carolina

College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC)
http://www.cfnc.org
College Foundation of North Carolina is a nonprofit partnership between Pathways of North Carolina, College Foundation Inc., and the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority. These organizations have broad expertise in helping students to prepare successfully for college and to find the best financial aid alternatives. Together, they provide a complete and comprehensive source of information for students and their families.

LEARN NC
http://www.learnnc.org
LEARN NC is a statewide network of educators using Internet technologies to deliver professional development opportunities and learning resources that increase student achievement, enhance teacher proficiencies, and foster community participation in the process.

North Carolina Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
http://www.ncicu.org
The Association serves as the representative of the 36 independent colleges and universities in North Carolina. Major functions of the Association are advocacy, research and information, program development, coordination of projects and programs, and recruitment assistance for the institutions.

North Carolina Community College System
http://www.ncccs.cc.nc.us
Administrative agency for North Carolina's 58 local community colleges. Administrative and local college information and links to local campuses, campus program offerings and much more.

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us
Home page for North Carolina's public school system that includes: classroom resources, news and calendar, administration, publications, information for students and parents and other useful information. Of particular interest is the DPI site for Career-Technical Education (CTE).

University of North Carolina - General Administration
http://www.northcarolina.edu
UNC General Administration serves as headquarters to the University of North Carolina Board of Governors and the Office of the President. Resources include many excellent publications, virtual tours of 16 member campuses, profiles of schools, etc.

Education and Training Resources — National

Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training, U.S. Department of Labor
http://www.doleta.gov
Whether you're an individual interested in apprenticeship training or an employer exploring the advantages and "how to" of apprenticeship, you'll find something useful here.

College Board Online
http://www.collegeboard.com
Online SAT registration and a separate scholarship search. Worksheets help students plan a sound financial strategy for college. Separate sections for financial aid and admissions staff, counselors and high school and university faculty.

College Net
http://www.collegenet.com
Searches for four-year colleges and community/technical colleges. Results link directly to the colleges' Internet sites.

CollegeSource Online
http://www.collegesource.org
From the Career Guidance Foundation, use this web site for online college catalogs, college searching, career links, and more.

College View
http://www.collegeview.com
CollegeView is a free online college search service with profiles of 3,700+ colleges and universities, virtual tours of hundreds of schools, electronic applications, financial aid information, career planning tools, and more.

COOL: College Opportunities Online
http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cool
College Opportunities Online (COOL) is a research tool that allows access to information about more than 9,000 vocational-technical schools, colleges, and universities in the United States. Users may search COOL by geographic region, state, city, type of institution, or instructional program, either alone or in combination. COOL is a product of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).

Princeton Review
http://www.princetonreview.com
Formerly known as Embark.com, Princeton Review is a search, recruiting, and application service that provides a step-by-step guide to choosing a career, major, and college, as well as applying for and financing your education. Search over 5,800 two-year and four-year schools, explore 1,100 careers, and investigate 629,000 scholarship programs.

U.S. Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov
This excellent site offers a wealth of resources for parents, teachers, and students. Monographs and pamphlets are available on financial aid, grants, and how to help your children in a variety of subjects; major research studies and reports can be viewed or downloaded; hundreds of educational software packages can be downloaded (free).

U.S. News & World Report Colleges & Careers Center
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/eduhome.htm
U.S. News boasts exclusive college rankings from U.S. News & World Report's latest edition of America's Best Colleges. Includes information on choosing a school, getting ready for admission tests, and completing applications. Advice on loans, scholarships and financial aid, plus a step-by-step guide for parents.

Financial Aid Resources

College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC)
http://www.cfnc.org
The College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) is a comprehensive financial aid information service sponsored by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority, College Foundation Inc., and Pathways of North Carolina. CFNC is a one-stop service for North Carolinians to find out about the financial aid process. It offers information on college costs, calculators, and types of financial aid, including scholarships and grants for North Carolinians and how to apply, as well as North Carolina's college savings program. In addition to the web site, CFNC offers a toll-free number for families to access a college financing specialist, 866-866-CFNC.

Fast Web
http://www.fastweb.com
Financial aid information and search. Billed as a "one-stop" site for college students, college-bound students and their parents, recent college graduates, scholarship sponsors, and the educational community.

FinAid: The Financial Information Page
http://www.finaid.org
Provides a free, comprehensive, independent, and objective guide to student financial aid. It was created by Mark Kantrowitz, author of The Prentice Hall Guide to Scholarships and Fellowships for Math and Science Students, and is sponsored by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).

iApply
http://iapply.bridges.com/
Sponsored by Bridges.com
iApply provides links to and information about financial aid for parents, students, and educators.

North Carolina JobLink Career Center
http://www.joblink.state.nc.us
JobLink Career Centers are user-friendly facilities that provide job seekers, training seekers, and employers access to a variety of employment and training services all under one roof, bringing together "partners" from a variety of state government agencies. Provides links to and information about local JobLink centers and their programs and services.

North Carolina State Educational Assistance Authority
http://www.ncseaa.edu
An agency of the State of North Carolina authorized by the General Assembly to administer postsecondary education programs of student financial assistance created under Federal or State law. The authority has responsibility for the administration and management of 35 financial aid programs funded by Federal, State or private sources. The programs are inter-institutional and are designed to assist North Carolina residents in meeting the costs of postsecondary education.

U. S. Department of Education
The US Department of Education web site provides items of interest to students and parents, including:
Funding Your Education (http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/FYE/index.html)