Hello everyone, and welcome to the Neumann-Goretti Guidance Resource Library! 📚 We’re thrilled to introduce you to this valuable resource, designed to support you on your academic and career journeys. This library is a dedicated space where students, parents, and faculty can access a wide array of information and tools to navigate the complex world of higher education and professional development.
The main goal of the Neumann-Goretti Guidance Resource Library is to provide you with the knowledge and resources necessary to make informed decisions about your future. We know that preparing for college, exploring careers, and understanding financial aid can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’ve assembled a thorough collection of materials to make these processes easier. Our goal is to serve as a central hub for everything related to college applications, standardized tests, scholarships, and career planning. We strive to encourage proactive planning and self-advocacy, giving every student the tools they need to reach their goals.
What You’ll Find Here
Our library is divided into key sections to make it easy to find what you need. The Neumann-Goretti Guidance Resource Library is a self-serve space, but our guidance counselors are always ready to assist. Feel free to access our digital resources from any location. We encourage you to use this library as your first stop for guidance questions and to share your findings with your peers.
We’re excited to see you make the most of this invaluable tool. Welcome aboard! 🎓
This section focuses on all aspects of helping students with their academic work. You’ll find websites that provide help in understanding concepts and strategies for studying, as well as sites that offer complete courses in particular subject areas.
edX is an online platform that provides over 2,500 free courses. Taking an online course is a great way to enhance your resume and show colleges that you can handle challenging material. Take time to learn a new skill or explore a potential major from institutions like MIT, Harvard, University of California-Berkeley, and more.
Coursera is another e-learning platform that allows you to learn from professors at Ivy League and other top schools like the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford, and Duke. All courses are free, and topics include C++, marketing, engineering, and psychology. Taking these advanced courses can help you explore potential majors for college.
Quill is an interactive writing platform ideal for anyone wanting to improve their skills before writing college admissions essays. On Quill, you can develop editing abilities by proofreading passages, practicing grammar through quick activities, and enhancing your writing.
Duolingo is an excellent app for high school students, regardless of their language learning level. It offers comprehensive guides for nine popular languages and can help both beginners and more experienced speakers. The app also makes learning fun by turning it into a game, with easy-to-follow, step-by-step lessons that cover vocabulary and grammar. Best of all? The app is free and available on both Apple and Android devices.
Codecademy – Coding is one of the most valuable skills you can learn, and Codecademy will teach you how. On the free part of the site, you can choose what to study, including building websites or analyzing data. You’ll learn by doing and can start writing code within minutes of joining. Pennsylvania, Stanford, and Duke. All courses are free, and topics include C++, marketing, engineering, and psychology. Taking these advanced courses can help you explore potential majors for college.
Phlearn – Not many high school students learn how to Photoshop. Through Phlearn, you can learn for free with on-demand videos. It teaches you more about Photoshop, Lightroom, and mobile editing, as well as the basics of capturing great photos.
YouTube EDU – If you are a visual learner, check out YouTube’s education channel. You can learn tips for studying at home, such as how to study more effectively, stay focused, and create a dedicated study space. The channel also offers crash courses on subjects like chemistry, SQL, and illustration. Additionally, you can find fitness videos, cooking videos, and fun DIY activities.
Skillshare offers a wide range of free courses. For instance, if you have an idea for starting your own Etsy store, you can enroll in the “Building an Etsy Shop that Sells” course. Alternatively, you can join a Productivity Masterclass to learn how to study more efficiently in high school and college.
New York Times and Verizon – NYT and Verizon have teamed up to give every high school student in the U.S. free access to the New York Times. Students can explore current events occurring around the world. The site provides resources in English, social studies, science, math, and current events to help students stay involved.
Department of Sound – During a four-week, self-paced course called Summer of Sound, students can learn the fundamentals of music, including music production and podcast creation. Students must register beforehand, with the first session beginning June 15. Classes are offered in English and Spanish, and participants must be at least 13 years old.
Chegg Flashcards – Whether students are cramming for a final or struggling with a concept, Flashcards can help them find the answers they need. The online platform is a community-driven library of flashcards, forums, and study guides. Students can use the free version to ask questions (to the community of nearly 7 million users) and browse suggested flashcards on a specific subject or topic. The paid version ($7 per month if paid annually) offers access to more than 400 million pieces of content. The Chegg Prep App is also available for Apple and Android devices, so students can study anytime and anywhere.
Quizlet – Another study platform, Quizlet enables users to create their own quizzes, flashcards, diagrams, and games to craft a fun, interactive learning experience. Students can also explore over 250 million study sets and access the material on the go—since the app is available on mobile devices as well.
Desmos is a free online graphing calculator that students can use to graph functions, plot data, and evaluate equations. The website and mobile app are both very user-friendly and include helpful guides and resources to help students maximize the calculator’s features. It’s also very easy to print, export, and share the graphs and solutions students create.
EasyBib – Citing sources is essential for high school students, but creating bibliographies can be time-consuming. EasyBib has been available for over a decade and continues to simplify the process of citing sources accurately. With the free mobile app, students can easily scan a book’s barcode or use the search feature to cite a website, database entry, image, or more than 50 other options.
Cold Turkey – The wide range of online resources also brings many online distractions. Cold Turkey helps students stay focused by blocking applications and websites for a set amount of time. There’s also a mobile version that does the same for phones—helping students quit their distractions cold turkey.
Focus Booster – Research indicates that the Pomodoro Technique—a focus method that uses timed work sessions and short breaks—helps students stay focused on their tasks. Focus Booster provides the tools to adopt this study method and gain a better understanding of their work habits.
Evernote – Evernote allows students to take notes in any way they prefer and organize everything in one online place. They can type their notes, take photos, create checklists, record audio, forward emails, and even write notes by hand on screens that support it. Once their notes are in Evernote, students can search and organize them using notebooks, categories, and tags.
Here you will find important forms for downloading, as well as the site to pay for transcripts and the SAT Prep course offered in the spring.
Unsure about your future career? Are you unsure if college is the right path for you? These resources are intended to serve as launching points for your own research into other available options.
Philadelphia Job Corps – Job Corps provides career training and education for 16- through 24-year-olds at no cost to students. We have 120-plus campuses nationwide where students earn the skills and gain the experience needed to begin a career or apprenticeship, advance to higher education, or join the military.
This section provides resources to support you throughout the college exploration process. It covers everything from researching specific schools and programs, registering for the SATs or ACTs, to completing your applications, and more.
Naviance – One-stop shopping for College and Career exploration as well as managing college applications and important documents.
The College Board – Register for the SATs, SAT Subject Tests, and send your test scores to colleges and universities.
ACT Student – Register for the ACTs and send test scores to colleges and universities.
The Common App – One application that can be sent to over 900 colleges and universities.
The Coalition for College – One application that can be sent to 150 colleges and universities.
The Common Black College Application – A single application that can be used to apply to over 50 Historically Black Colleges & Universities.
NCAA Eligibility Center – Any student-athlete intending to play Division I or II collegiate sports must register with the Eligibility Center.
Pennsylvania Association of Private School Administrators – The guide to Pennsylvania’s Postsecondary Career Schools.
Navigating the financial aspects of college can be tricky. This section includes guides on completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), scholarship search databases, and information on grants and student loans.
PHEAA – The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency which provides informational resources for families as well as various programs to assist with the financial aid process.
Fastweb – Free Scholarship Search engine
Going Merry – A scholarship search that offers a common application for multiple scholarships.
RaiseMe – Students can earn micro-scholarships for a variety of activities, and the site can help students find the best matches for their talents and their budget. This tool takes some mystery out of the financial aid process, and the ability to earn early may motivate financially strapped or otherwise reluctant students to dream bigger.
Scholly – Find scholarships, preview college essays with a pay-to-search tool. Simple, straightforward interface and search features make this an accessible way to face a daunting task. An approachable tool that empowers students to face the overwhelming task of financing their college educations.
Beyond academics, we also provide resources on essential life skills, such as resume writing, interview preparation, and financial literacy. We believe in preparing you for success beyond the classroom.
Working Papers – All students aged 14 to 18 must apply for work permits before they can start working. Besides seeing Ms. Blake to get your work papers, you can also visit this site.
Selective Service – Selective Service registration is required by law as part of a fair and equitable system that, if authorized by the President and Congress, would quickly supply personnel to the Department of Defense while also providing an Alternative Service Program for conscientious objectors.
Voter Registration – Pennsylvania’s voter registration application for anyone 18 years or older.
As mental health issues continue to rise and awareness grows, we have compiled a few resources for those seeking information on mental health matters.
Healthy Minds Philly – Free resources and screening tools for mental health
NAMI/Keystone Pennsylvania – Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness – resources and information on mental illnesses
Active Minds – Active Minds is the nation’s premier nonprofit organization supporting mental health awareness and education for young adults. They are dedicated to saving lives and to building stronger families and communities through education, research, advocacy, and a focus on young adults ages 14–25.
Division of Behavioral Health – Philadelphia’s Division of Behavioral Health provides mental health services for adults and children requiring medical, social, and educational services. The office provides these services through an extensive network of contracted provider agencies located throughout Philadelphia.
Coalition to Support Grieving Students – Bereavement resources for families and community members
A Child in Grief – Additional bereavement resources for families
