College and Career Exploration and Planning
College can not only transform your life by providing a path to a career and greater earning potential, but it can help transform entire communities as well. In Illinois and across the nation, those who obtain education beyond high school not only see a significant impact on their potential career prospects and future salary, but also change levels of poverty, life expectancy, crime and obesity rates in their communities.
Maybe you never thought college would be possible for you. Maybe you dreamed about going but it all seemed too overwhelming. Or maybe you’ve made the decision to go to college but need some assistance in getting there.
Ready to explore the possibilities? ISAC can help!
One-on One Mentoring
Counselors at your high school are a great resource to help you navigate the college-going process. In addition to the support within your high school, there are ISACorps members in your region who can provide one-on-one support for you and your family. The ISACorps is made up of recent college graduates who often are assigned to work in the communities they came from—so they have both the college-navigating experience and the local know-how to support students within the community.
ISACorps members are available to meet with you and/or your family to help you explore careers, identify schools that might be right for you, and assist you with the college application and admission process.
Find the ISACorps member in your area
Online Tools to Help You Explore and Plan
The Resources area of the ISAC Student Portal offers access to a host of online tools to help you explore the possibilities and navigate the college-going process.
- Check out Cappex (formerly College Greenlight) to find colleges and universities, learn more about the college admission and application process, and plan a campus visit.
- Use the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard to search and compare colleges.
Seasonal Events that Can Help You Plan:
- College Application Month happens every year in October. Throughout the month, high schools across the state host application workshops during the school day where students can fill out applications for college admission. As a sponsor of Illinois College Application Month, ISAC provides resources and support for schools hosting these workshops. Ask your high school counselor if your school will be participating in College Application Month. Even if your school isn’t holding an event, you can still get help filling out your college applications by speaking with your college counselor or contacting the ISACorps member in your region. To hear how applying to college changed students’ lives, check out our videos at https://www.collegechangeseverything.org/appmonth/
- Financial Aid Awareness Month happens every February. Throughout the month, ISAC hosts events across the state to help students and families complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and learn about the wide range of college financial aid opportunities, as well as the college selection and admission process. Start checking our Outreach Activities Calendar in January each year for a list of events in your area.