A Guide to College Resources on Pinterest

Gates to Rutgers University
My Alma Mater

If your family is like mine, you have attended several graduation parties this month. With a teenage child who is a sophomore in high school, we will be looking at colleges before I can say “second mortgage”, so I thought I would test out Pinterest as a college planning resource. I have found that when I perform a search on Pinterest, not only do I almost always find what I am looking for, but the results are richer than on regular search engines. Because the information has already been pinned, the researcher finds information that has already been vetted and “recommended” to others. For example, when I search by the word “college” in a popular search engine, I get the usual college-preparation guides, college guides and financing information as well as information on some individual colleges (Harvard appears on the first page). But I don’t get results that include information on the best schools for home schooled children, the top black colleges, a guide to online universities or a guide to colleges for students with disabilities. These pins are based on individual circumstances and preferences but can still be found in a general search on Pinterest.

I found my pins on boards named “College & Careers”, “College Info.”, “College Tips”, “Favorite Colleges” and “Colleges” among others. As I did in my last post, I have classified these pins into categories:

College guides — these pins lead to hardcover guides for sale or to online guides. A pin of the Princeton Review 2012 Book of Colleges leads to ebooknetworking.net where the book can be purchased online. A pin of Online Universities and Colleges leads to a website with information on attending an online college and how to make an informed decision about whether this option is the right one for that student. Pinterest contains a wealth of information about this fast-growing continuing education option. A pin for the Best Colleges Online.com leads the pinner to an online college finder. “In 3 easy steps you can find the perfect college.” Another pin leads to an article on Prestigious colleges with the lowest tuition.

Pin of College Guide

College rankings – these pins provide the pinner withinformation regarding the ratings of various types of colleges. A pin called 2012 Top Colleges leads to an article in the Huffington Post entitled U.S. News College Rankings 2012: The Top National Universities. Princeton and Harvard were tied, by the way, for the #1 spot. An ezine article gives the pinner information on accreditation. “Students studying in the U.S. can be reassured of the quality of education they receive through a process called, ‘accreditation’. Accreditation is one of the most important factors to consider while deciding on which college to attend, be it online or on-ground.”

Pin of College Prep Guide

College Preparation – There are hundreds of pins to SAT and ACT preparation guides as well as guides and websites that provide information for students on step-by-step planning throughout high school. The College Preparation Checklist found on the Federal Student Aid website is one of the most popular resources for students and parents. Knowhow2go.org has tips and information on preparing for college from the types of classes to take in high school to finding financial aid. A pin of Quintessential Careers gives the pinner a month-by-month College-Bound High School Senior Planning Calendar and Collegechecklist.com is a complete guide of what to bring to college.

Financing Options – college financing can be a daunting task. Pinterest provides a wealth of information about scholarships and financing a college education. The Federal Student Aid website is the first resource a prospective college student should visit. From this site many other resources can be found. Finding scholarships is made infinitely easier with resources like the Scholarships.com and Scholarshiphunter.com where the

Pin of Financial Aid Website

visitor can complete a profile and receive a list of scholarships for which to apply. A must read for any prospective student is Debt-Free U: How I Paid for an Outstanding College Education Without Loans, Scholarships, or Mooching off My Parents.

College merchandise — No college guide would be complete without information on where to purchase

Rutgers U. scarf found in     Etsy Shop

college merchandise. And who better to look to for college gear than my fellow Etsyans. From hand-painted Toms sneakers to hand-made pillows and lamp shades to scarves and wall-hangings, Etsy definitely came through when I created my “College Store” pin board. http://pinterest.com/silkflorals/college-store/. Also available on this pin board is a link to a discounted college textbook site.

Oklahoma State wall hanging found in Etsy shop

What I love most about finding information on Pinterest is that I can pin anything the moment I find it and organize my pins into topic areas immediately or later (so as not to slow my momentum) I can add, delete and move items easily. This allows me to organize important events in my life and my family members’ lives making them more manageable AND more fun! Happy searching!

Hand-painted University of Houston Toms sneakers found in Etsy shop

http://pinterest.com/silkflorals/college-resources/

Yours in Pinning,

Candice

Convo me here