In April 2000, Sallie Mae launched an Internet initiative to help students, families, and guidance professionals plan and pay for college. This is an important, though sometimes confusing and intimidating process for students and families, and a never-ending administrative challenge for today's high school and college guidance professionals.

College Answer^® (formerly known as Wiredscholar) is presented by Sallie Mae and provides superior content and functionality, and a wide array of solutions for planning and paying for college. The site guides users through the entire process—from early planning and estimating, to applying for federal and private loans online. Reflecting Sallie Mae's unique position as a trusted institution in the student loan industry, College Answer is designed to be the reliable, objective resource for anyone interested in a higher education.

College Answer has the tools necessary for students and parents to plan for all aspects of higher education, and we are committed to being the most comprehensive paying for college site on the Internet.

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What's in College Answer?

• Preparing
  Helps students begin thinking about what they want to do past high school. Features self-assessment tools and content, information on careers and what it will take to get there, ways to prepare for the admission process, standardized entrance testing and tips on how to pay for college.
  
  
• Selecting
  Provides the important information students and parents need to choose a college (e.g., size, location, programs offered, cost, etc.). This section includes the details on over 4,000 postsecondary institutions.
  
  
• Applying
  Assists students with the application process. Features advice on obtaining recommendations, highlighting accomplishments, staying organized, and keeping on schedule.
  
  
• Paying
  Provides an overview of the costs associated with attending college. From here, students and parents can explore numerous sources of aid, gather hints on applying for aid, search for scholarships, and understand long-term saving options such as state pre-paid tuition plans. This section also includes several interactive tools to assist with estimating the total cost of college (now and in the future), estimating the expected family contribution (EFC), understanding their ability to afford a particular school through existing resources and analyzing their potential debt burden.
  
  
• Deciding
  Helps students understand and evaluate their acceptance and award letters. The interactive tool in this section allows users to compare up to five schools' financial aid award packages, and understand the "out-of-pocket" costs of attending a school, so they can make informed choices.
  
  
• Financing
  Walks students and parents through the loan process by educating them about their options, and informing them of required steps. This section also allows students and parents to apply for federal loans online.

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Other Key Features

• Important Reminders
  Checklists and handouts help students remember important dates and deadlines.
  
  
• Easy-to-Navigate Format
  Tabular design helps users quickly find the information they need most. Individual tabs rotate as seasonal home pages to bring timely information to the forefront.
  
  
• Why Register?
  Registering makes the user experience at College Answer that much easier—users won't have to retype data they've already saved or recalculate results, because they're stored, too. AND, when users register, they become eligible for a $1,000 scholarship given away every month, have access to a free scholarship search and checklists, and receive monthly e-newsletters.
  
  
• No Unwanted Email
  College Answer protects the privacy of our users, and will not share or sell personal profile information to third parties.
  
  
• QuickTools
  Estimate college costs or prepare a monthly budget—seven valuable calculators are at a user’s fingertips.

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