By: Sundar Kadayam, Zakta College planning can be confusing, complex and stressful, especially if you have no previous knowledge or experience with the process. With so much to learn and handle at this vital time in a student’s life, it is important to properly educate yourself so that you can make the most informed decisions for your particular situation. Thousands of helpful resources are available on the Web, and it can be difficult to determine which are credible and worthy of your time. I know this only too well – I am a parent of a high school senior, who’s applying for college this year! Zakta’s newest Web Guide collection, “College Planning Made Easy,” is a collection of the best Web sites, articles, videos and more on a variety of topics related to the college planning process. This has been put together by me and other members of the growing Zakta community. College-ready students and parents will benefit from Zakta Guides in four main categories: Choosing a College, Applying for College, Paying for College and College Living. It features resources and advice ranging from choosing the right college and what to study in school, to preparing for standardized testing. The collection also offers a variety of financial aid resources, including basic information on how to apply, how much money is available and how the programs work. If users don’t see the information they’re looking for, they can submit a topic idea to Zakta, who will then evaluate whether it’s a college planning topic others would be interested in learning more about as well. If so, the Zakta team, with the help of other members, will research the topic and create additional Zakta Guides as necessary, organizing the best, most relevant information available on the Web. Most importantly, the beauty of Zakta is that it enables people to share their knowledge or expertise with others in an organized, effective manner. Users who have already been through the college planning process or have specific expertise can share their knowledge with others by creating and sharing a Zakta Guide of their own. As always, we are eager to get your feedback.
