Collegiate Times

The first-ever master calendar for deadlines and scholarships nationwide launched June 2008. This new Web site modernizes and streamlines pertinent information a student, parent or guidance counselor needs when thinking about applying to college or scholarships. As of right now, over 1,500 four-year colleges and universities are listed on the Web site.

This idea began in spring 2007 and had been available only as a private beta. The site re-launched in June 2008 as a public beta, according to CEO of the College Life is Cool Network, Donna Michelle Anderson.

The Web site, www.theclic.net, offers students, families, schools, colleges, and communities an outlet to information such as scholarships, financial aid and deadlines for applications, and it can also match students' profiles with colleges that are similar to their needs.

Virginia Tech's spokesperson for undergraduate admissions, Amy Widner, said this Web site would be a great place for students to begin their college search process and advises students to use it as a starting point.

"Students should then go straight to the college's own site to be assured the information is as up-to-date and as accurate to the particular colleges as possible," Widner said.

Anderson believes streamlining information will benefit students' families, colleges and guidance counselors.

"It updates your calendars, manages lists with all of the deadlines and scholarships," Anderson said. "Do you remember how chaotic and stressful the process was? What if it was sitting all on one page?"

"Finding up-to-date information among the many colleges out there is a daunting task," Widner said. "And having the basics all in one place would certainly be useful as students begin their searches."

This Web site will "level the playing field," Anderson said, and end the sticky notes many students, counselors and parents use to track deadlines.

"The U.S. has a very broken college process -- there are private college counselors out there that families will hire that cost up to $10,000 to sift through information and do everything," Anderson said. "This Web site will help kids."

Barry Simmons, Tech's director of scholarships and financial aid, said this system is not new to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

"This is not a new or novel concept," Simmons said. "Our state council of higher education has maintained one for about 15 years."

The same information has been available on Tech's Web site for about 10 years to current and prospective students, Simmons said.

So far the Web site has been a success for CLIC.

"It has been fantastic, knock on wood," Anderson said. "We used the summer to broaden our audience and had many suggestions and requests from users. Thankfully the system has not had any problems."

Eventually, Anderson would like to open the Web site to include information about graduate schools for students who are interested in pursuing their education further.