My Favorite Books & Sites
A College Counselor’s Curated Resources To Guide Your College Prep Process
Recommended Books
The Fiske Guide to Colleges by Edward B. Fiske
K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Differences by the Princeton Review
Dream School: Finding the College That’s Right for You by Jeffrey Selingo
Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania by Frank Bruni
Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges by Loren Pope & Hilary Masell Oswald
Seven Steps to College Success: A Pathway for Students with Disabilities by Elizabeth C. Hamblet
Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions by Jeffrey Selingo
The Price You Pay for College by Ron Lieber
Paying for College by the Princeton Review
How to Appeal for More College Financial Aid by Mark Kantrowitz
Hacking College: Why the Major Doesn't Matter―and What Really Does by Ned Scott Laff & Scott Carlson
The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College by Harlan Cohen
Recommended Sites
For College Search
A free resource for prospective students looking to identify and research institutions as a part of the college search process. The tool allows students to search the database of nearly 7,000 colleges by location, degrees, cost of attendance, and other criteria.
This free, interactive tool from the U.S. Department of Education allows families to compare colleges across key statistics, including cost, graduation rates, post-graduation earnings, student debt, and fields of study.
With in-depth profiles on every college in America, over 140 million reviews and ratings, and powerful search and data tools, Niche helps millions of students and families find the right school for them.
CampusReel brings colleges, universities, graduate programs and schools to life with student-led video content. Spend a Day in the Life with current students while exploring the culture and community on a whole new level.
The free online tool allows prospective students and families to search a database of LGBTQ-friendly campuses that have come out to improve the academic experience and quality of campus life.
Hillel International College Comparison
A free tool that helps students compare colleges’ enrollment and services for Jewish students.
Browse resources available to prospective Muslim college students and their families on campuses across the US. This data has been crowdsourced by chaplains, university staff, students, and alumni.
Colleges Where Students with Learning Differences Succeed
A list of colleges with special programs for students with learning differences.
For Financial Aid
The Go-To Guide for Financial Aid
Finaid has been a trusted guide to college financial aid for over 30 years, helping students and families navigate the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), scholarships, grants, loans, and more.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
An online application form to determine how much financial aid students are eligible to receive, which could include grants, scholarships, work-study funds, and loans. Students must apply for aid every year.
An online application used by colleges and scholarship programs to award non-federal institutional aid.
Your College Prep Cheerleader
I’m Julie Layden, an admissions-insider-turned-college-counselor who believes in options over pressure.
College is a big milestone, but the application process doesn’t have to feel like an ongoing crisis — if you explore all of your options, plan accordingly, and have personalized support along the way.
When we work together, students get a trusted guide and cheerleader to ensure the college process goes as smoothly as possible.
Let’s Get Started
Contact me today and we’ll dive into you, your goals, and your dreams for your future.