BigFuture

BigFuture is a free online platform developed by the College Board, a non-profit organization also known for administering the SAT and Advanced Placement exams, in collaboration with Khan Academy, National Association for College Admission Counseling, and other educational institutions. The platform is designed to help students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, navigate the college planning process, from searching for colleges to applying for financial aid and scholarships. BigFuture provides a range of tools and resources, including a college search feature, career guidance, and personalized recommendations, to support students in their pursuit of higher education, similar to those offered by Common App, Naviance, and College Navigator. By leveraging the expertise of organizations like National College Access Network and Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, BigFuture aims to increase college access and success for students from all backgrounds, including those attending community colleges like Miami Dade College and Northern Virginia Community College.

Introduction

BigFuture is part of a broader effort to improve college readiness and access, building on initiatives like No Child Left Behind Act and Every Student Succeeds Act, which emphasize the importance of college and career readiness. The platform is designed to be user-friendly and accessible, with features and tools that cater to students with diverse needs and interests, such as those attending magnet schools like Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and Stuyvesant High School. By providing personalized guidance and support, BigFuture helps students make informed decisions about their educational and career paths, much like the resources offered by Counseling Association and National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. For instance, students can explore colleges like Harvard University, Stanford University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and learn about the experiences of alumni from these institutions, such as Mark Zuckerberg, Sergey Brin, and Larry Page.

Features and Tools

BigFuture offers a range of features and tools to support students in their college planning journey, including a college search feature that allows students to filter colleges by factors like location, size, and majors, similar to those offered by College Navigator and Niche. The platform also provides career guidance and exploration tools, such as interest assessments and career profiles, which help students identify potential career paths and related college majors, like those found at University of California, Berkeley and Carnegie Mellon University. Additionally, BigFuture includes a financial aid and scholarship search feature, which allows students to explore and apply for various forms of financial assistance, such as Pell Grant and Federal Work-Study, with the help of organizations like Fastweb and Scholarships.com. Students can also use the platform to create a personalized college plan, set reminders and deadlines, and track their progress, much like the tools offered by Naviance and Common App.

College Search and Planning

The college search feature on BigFuture allows students to explore over 3,000 colleges and universities, including public universities like University of Michigan and University of California, Los Angeles, and private colleges like Amherst College and Wellesley College. Students can filter colleges by factors like tuition cost, graduation rate, and campus life, and view detailed profiles of each college, including information on academic programs, student organizations, and campus resources, similar to those found on College Navigator and Niche. BigFuture also provides students with personalized college recommendations based on their interests, academic performance, and other factors, such as those used by College Board and National Association for College Admission Counseling. For example, students interested in engineering can explore colleges like Massachusetts Institute of Technology and California Institute of Technology, while those interested in liberal arts can consider colleges like Williams College and Swarthmore College.

Career Guidance and Exploration

The career guidance and exploration tools on BigFuture help students identify potential career paths and related college majors, such as computer science and data science programs at Stanford University and Carnegie Mellon University. Students can take interest assessments, like those offered by Holland Occupational Themes and Strong Interest Inventory, to discover careers that align with their interests and skills, and explore career profiles, which provide information on job outlook, salary ranges, and required education and training, similar to those found on O*NET and Bureau of Labor Statistics. BigFuture also allows students to research colleges that offer strong programs in their desired field, such as University of Texas at Austin for business and University of Washington for environmental science. By exploring different career paths and related college majors, students can make informed decisions about their educational and career goals, with the help of resources like CareerOneStop and My Next Move.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

The financial aid and scholarship search feature on BigFuture helps students explore and apply for various forms of financial assistance, such as grants, loans, and work-study programs, with the help of organizations like Federal Student Aid and National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Students can search for scholarships, like those offered by National Merit Scholarship Corporation and Gates Scholarship, and filter results by factors like eligibility criteria, award amount, and application deadline, similar to those found on Fastweb and Scholarships.com. BigFuture also provides students with personalized financial aid recommendations based on their family's financial situation and other factors, such as those used by College Board and National College Access Network. By exploring different types of financial aid and scholarships, students can make informed decisions about how to fund their college education, with the help of resources like FinAid and College Savings Plans Network.