Making Decisions About College

Graduating from high school is an exciting time for both students and parents. Pennsylvania has several resources to guide you through determining what comes next – from choosing a college and program of study to finding an apprenticeship program and gaining work experience.

Undergraduate college programs may lead to a Bachelor’s degree (typically a 4-year program), Associate’s degree (typically a 2-year program), or a Certificate (usually a short-term program).

If you’re considering college, the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Center (PA TRAC) website can help you plan your post-secondary education. This resource helps you explore your educational options after high school, learn how to earn college credits while you are still in high school, and find out how the college courses you have or plan to take are transferable.

Finding a Program of Study in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is home to nearly 250 post-secondary institutions that offer every career choice and degree program you could want. When you have identified a program you’re interested in, this interactive Google Map allows you to see the list of education institutions by category and location in the state.

College Search Tool

College Navigator is a free website that students, parents, and high school counselors can use to research post-secondary schools in Pennsylvania and across the U.S. The site includes programs offered, costs, graduation rates, and more.

Learn about colleges and universities in Pennsylvania by checking out the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s interactive Google map of PA education institutions.

The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) also has useful resources for planning your next steps to pursue your education with MySmartBorrowing. The site is a career and college-planning website for college-bound, returning and nontraditional students. The site provides everything you need to prepare for higher education, including guidance on choosing a career and major, selecting a school, applying for admission, and funding tuition.

Community Education Councils (CECs)

Community Education Councils (CECs) provide programs, courses or classes that can help you with professional, vocational or occupational certification or licensure, an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree, GED preparation, as well as skill development for the workforce in rural or educationally underserved communities.