Step One

Understand Financial Aid & Merit Scholarships

Searching for merit scholarships and understanding financial aid application requirements shouldn’t be taken lightly. This stage requires you to roll up your sleeves.

What You Need to Know

How Students Can Earn Employee Scholarships for College

Find out how one student tapped into employee scholarships twice to help pay for college!

Financial Aid and More: How to Pay for College With No Money

For many families, saving up enough money to cover the entire cost of their children’s higher education just isn’t possible....

CSS Profile vs FAFSA: What’s the Difference?

There are two main financial aid forms: the FAFSA, which stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and the...

How to Make Affordable Colleges Even More Affordable

This story was written by Elizabeth, a member of R2C’s Paying for College 101 (PFC 101) Facebook group, where it...

How to Find Scholarships

Everyone wants to know how to find college scholarships. The first step is to understand what type of scholarships you’re...

Essential College Tuition Facts

When it comes to choosing a college, price is one of the top considerations, and tuition the largest part of...

Step Two

Understand Types of Colleges

It’s true that one school doesn’t fit all. So, it’s up to you to learn about the variety of schools out there and which type will best suit your student.

What You Need to Know

An Ivy League Journey: From Yale to Medical School

Exploring the realities of an 'elite' education from a Yale grad's perspective. Could less selective schools offer more freedom for exploration?

Showing Demonstrated Interest in a College Helps Prevent Being Labeled a “Stealth Applicant”

Your student may be able to boost their admissions results by showing colleges their interest. Get tips for genuine ways to engage before they apply.

Aviation Schools Are Taking Off

The number of aviation schools with hands-on learning opportunities is skyrocketing.

How a Student With a 2.7 GPA Got Into 19 Colleges

You don’t have to have a high GPA to get into college and qualify for merit aid. One parent shares her student’s inspiring story.

Follow These Steps to Help Get Your Student Into Engineering School

One parent shares every step her student took to get into an engineering school they could afford.

PROOF POINTS: Why elite colleges won’t give up legacy admissions

This story about legacy admissions was written by Jill Barshay and produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused...

Step Three

Use College Search Resources & Tools

Tools and resources like guide books and school websites can be tremendously helpful. Use them often.

What You Need to Know

Showing Demonstrated Interest in a College Helps Prevent Being Labeled a “Stealth Applicant”

Your student may be able to boost their admissions results by showing colleges their interest. Get tips for genuine ways to engage before they apply.

Follow These Steps to Help Get Your Student Into Engineering School

One parent shares every step her student took to get into an engineering school they could afford.

PROOF POINTS: Why elite colleges won’t give up legacy admissions

This story about legacy admissions was written by Jill Barshay and produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused...

A Community Member Shares HBCU Scholarship and College Application Tips

This story was first published in our Paying for College 101 Facebook community. It’s been edited for clarity and flow. ...

How to Get Into Highly Rejective Colleges

This story was originally published in R2C’s Paying for College 101 (PFC 101) Facebook group. It has been edited for...

You Should Be Asking These Questions About Financial Aid

This article was sponsored by College Ave Student Loans. College Ave takes the stress out of paying for college so...

Step Four

Plan College Visits

There’s nothing like seeing a school up close and in person, but it may not be possible. Know the right questions to ask—whether it’s IRL or virtually.

What You Need to Know

An Ivy League Journey: From Yale to Medical School

Exploring the realities of an 'elite' education from a Yale grad's perspective. Could less selective schools offer more freedom for exploration?

Amusing Reasons Why Students Rejected Colleges

Check out true stories from parents on why their kids didn’t select a particular college.

Showing Demonstrated Interest in a College Helps Prevent Being Labeled a “Stealth Applicant”

Your student may be able to boost their admissions results by showing colleges their interest. Get tips for genuine ways to engage before they apply.

10 Ways a Parent Can Help Their Student Prepare for College

As a parent, your involvement and support are invaluable in helping your high school child prepare for college. Here are 10 tips for success.

College Tours: 6 Things to Pay Attention To

A recent discussion in our Paying for College 101 Facebook Community focused on what parents noticed on college tours that...

Parents Share What They Got Right and Wrong During Junior Year of High School

Follow these tips during junior year of high school for the best college admissions results!

Step Five

Build a College List

The list drives everything. It's what you and your student will build their entire roadmap on. Being able to differentiate between wants and needs is an important step in narrowing down the list.

What You Need to Know

An Ivy League Journey: From Yale to Medical School

Exploring the realities of an 'elite' education from a Yale grad's perspective. Could less selective schools offer more freedom for exploration?

Amusing Reasons Why Students Rejected Colleges

Check out true stories from parents on why their kids didn’t select a particular college.

Showing Demonstrated Interest in a College Helps Prevent Being Labeled a “Stealth Applicant”

Your student may be able to boost their admissions results by showing colleges their interest. Get tips for genuine ways to engage before they apply.

Our Family’s Direct-Admit Nursing Program Journey

A parent shares how her student got into several direct-admit nursing programs that offered merit and financial aid.

10 Ways a Parent Can Help Their Student Prepare for College

As a parent, your involvement and support are invaluable in helping your high school child prepare for college. Here are 10 tips for success.

Aviation Schools Are Taking Off

The number of aviation schools with hands-on learning opportunities is skyrocketing.

Tools & Services Recommended for You

There may come a time when you realize you can’t do it all alone. Use any of the many tools in our toolbox to assist you on the road to college.

Become a Member

At Road2College you’ll find everything you need to make the admissions and paying for college process less stressful and more transparent.

TOOLS

Explore College Insights™ — your source for finding affordable colleges and merit scholarships.

Coaching

Get coaching on admissions and college financing.

Community

Join Road2College where parents and experts work together to inform and inspire college-bound families.