COLLEGE ADMISSIONS
STUDENT GUIDEBOOK

The College Admissions Student Guidebook is designed to take students step-by-step through the college search, admissions, financial aid, enrollment, and transition processes, from start to finish. It can be used by individual students and families who are navigating this experience from home, by school counselors to inform their student conversations, by teachers as the cornerstone of their college preparatory curricula, or by non-profit organizations to elevate and empower their college access work.

Part I of the Student Guidebook covers important background information on what options are available within the world of higher education, gives an overview of the admissions and financial aid processes, and helps students to identify their college motivators and long-term goals.

Part II provides students with step-by-step instructions on building a strong college list, compiling and submitting quality applications, maximizing their financial aid resources, making a well-reasoned enrollment decision, and preparing to transition into the next phase of their lives. In addition to the informational content, each section of the Student Guidebook contains specific notes on how college admissions functions in the context of Tennessee, links to resources and additional readings, and space for students to reflect, brainstorm, and plan their work.