BigFuture Now Available for Central Regional College Bound Students!

The Central Regional High School Guidance Department has incorporated the robust, interactive college search engine offered by College Board called "BigFuture" as a link on our high school guidance webpage to assist students and families with their college decision-making process.

College Board is a not-for-profit membership organization committed to excellence and equity in education whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity.

The goal of the program is to assist Central Regional students in finding the right college in order to succeed in today's world.  In support of the College Board goal of having 55 percent of Americans with a college degree by 2025, they have launched BigFuture, the new, free, comprehensive website that improves the college planning process for students, families, and educators.

Once you link to BigFuture from our high school guidance webpage, the program will guide the student through the college planning process, making it easier and less overwhelming.  the step-by-step approach demystifies college planning, particularly for those students who are the first generation in their families to attend college.

Students using BigFuture answer questions and make choices about their own needs and preferences.  Easy-to-use search tools and informative videos guide them through the process.  The large collection of videos contains real-world advice from college students and expert educators.

"We know the best source of insight into the college planning process is from those who have experienced it," said Roy Ben-Yoseph, the College Board's executive director of digital products.  "That's why we asked students to collaborate with us on the site design and interactive tools that guide students as they find, afford and enroll in a college that is right for them."

BigFuture has a robust college search tool that helps students find the schools that are best for their needs and compare their advantages.  Because great education occurs in thousands of colleges and universities, BigFuture can find college options for any high school graduate.

The resource also has a scholarship search tool and extensive information about ways students can pay for college.  "College is more accessible than many people think," Ben-Yoseph said.  "Families using the resource learn ways others have paid for college: securing scholarships, enrolling at a community college, saving for college and finding grants and loans.  They also will see that most families do not pay the full sticker price for college."

Students using BigFuture develop a customizable action plan that tells them exactly what to do and when.

The high school guidance supervisor, Darryl Heale, adds, "Since our counselors and teachers have a great influence on the students' college planning, we have incorporated the best tool available that can be also used by our staff as a resource for information."

During a time when college planning and application has grown increasingly complex, BigFuture's step-by-step approach makes college planning easier to navigate.  Visit our website today at www.centralreg.k12.nj.us and start to make inroads into college planning