College Students Can Benefit From These Online Resources

College is expensive, but often is a worthwhile investment. Last year, WFTV Orlando reported that the median salary of a college graduate in Florida is nearly 60 percent greater than that of a high school graduate. And this wage gap has increased with time. That makes spending money on college a wise decision for many students. It may also help them qualify for certain careers and increase their chances of employment in their chosen fields.

When students and families take the step—and often sacrifice—to invest in a college education with these goals in mind, they should know what they will get. When we invest in other big-ticket items—a car, a home—research goes into knowing what exactly will be the best fit for us. In this same light, to help shape their plans, students should know not only the earning potential in their chosen career paths, but also what to expect from the content and teaching of their college classes along the way—especially core, required classes.

Rate My Professors

One helpful online tool for college students for over two decades is the Rate My Professors website. This site allows the public to see ratings of instructors by students, without outside editing or interference. In addition to personal stories, experiences, and numerical ratings, the website allows users to apply standard, descriptive labels to instructors. Labels might include “caring,” “gives good feedback,” “clear grading criteria,” and “participation matters.” Rate My Professors covers American colleges and universities and has over 19 million reviews and counting.

Simple Syllabus

Another online tool for college students that is expanding its reach is Simple Syllabus. Less than a decade old, Simple Syllabus is a syllabus management system that colleges and universities use to offer the public access to course syllabi. With transparency as a goal, Florida now requires class syllabi at our state colleges and universities to be posted publicly online at least 45 days before the class begins. Simple Syllabus fulfills that requirement and ensures easy, standardized access to these documents.

Before signing up for a class, a student can browse course syllabi for current and future semesters. Syllabi can be viewed and printed in their entirety. They must identify course goals and objectives, methods used to evaluate student performance, and all assigned instructional material, such as textbook information. The standard template through Simple Syllabus allows for quick browsing and comparison among classes. Founded in 2017, more than 500 institutions of higher learning already use Simple Syllabus.

Rate My Professors is an independent website with ratings input by students. However, Simple Syllabus is a document management system that contracts with our colleges and universities to display syllabus content input by instructors. The system incorporates directly into the official college websites where students, and the public, can search for and access syllabi. A simple Google search for Simple Syllabus and the name of a college brings up the link. EFSC syllabi can be found here.

College Scorecard

Finally, federal agencies provide resources that are worth a look for the data they contain. One is the College Scorecard website assembled by the U.S. Department of Education. It offers comparisons of colleges and universities, from the cost of specific colleges to their alumni post-college earnings. There also are links to learn about career exploration, apprenticeship, training programs, and more.

FAFSA

Another vital site links here as well. Filling out the Free Application For Student Aid (FAFSA) is a first step in many individuals’ college plans. Although the FAFSA went fully online more than 20 years ago, studies consistently show that it is under-utilized. Students without its financial help may struggle to cover college expenses. Completing the form is free. It is the source used by the federal government, states, and colleges to offer loans and award public and private grants and scholarships. In Florida, the deadline to submit the FAFSA for the 2026-27 academic year—May 15, 2026—is fast approaching.

Going to college is a big decision. However, these simple, online resources offer valuable information to help students make the decisions that are right for them. Whether a student is considering a two-year or four-year degree or vocational education, a little research into colleges, instructors, classes, and financial aid will enable students to chart a course that works for them and to achieve their educational and career ambitions.

_{Note: This piece was originally published as a guest column in FLORIDA TODAY.}