“So now what?” she wondered.

It’s been my experience that most schools post their Common Data Sets on their websites and I can’t fathom why some institutions keep the document a secret.

But when Google can’t track down a school’s Common Data Set, I’ve always suggested going to the source. Call up the school and ask for the CDS’s location.

I felt bad that my blog visitor couldn’t locate the Common Data Set so I decided to hunt it down myself. I called Washington University. The first people I talked to in admissions had never heard of the CDS. Eventually, I chatted with someone in the office who directed me to an online facts publication that she said should contain the information I needed. It didn’t come close.

I called the school again and someone thought the document might be connected to the medical school. I explained it was not. I finally left a message for someone in admissions and identified myself as a journalist. I received a return call from someone in the public relations department. In a voice mail message, the staffer acknowledged that the school doesn’t post its CDS on its website, but he didn’t explain the rational.

The Wash U. spokesman noted that you can get information from the federal government. As I explained yesterday, the easiest way to access the federal data is through the College Navigator. It’s not, however, identical information.

He also suggested looking on the CollegeBoard.com’s website. You can get valuable information by looking at individual school’s profiles, which you can access through the college search engine on the CollegeBoard’s home page. I use this a lot as a quick resource. When I typed in Washington University’s name, I got the “At a Glance” page.  I then clicked on the link for “Cost & Financial Aid” page.
Looking at this financial page, you can see that Wash U. meets 100% of a student’s financial need and that the average package is $31,564. The vast majority of that package — $28,345 — is grants. That’s great news for students who are going to need a financial helping hand.

On the same page, you can also see that Wash U’s average “non-need based grants” — that’s money for the affluent kids — is $8,459. What this doesn’t tell you is how many students receive this money. That’s the sort of information you can find in the Common Data Set.

There is one way you can get Common Data Sets from uncooperative schools. You can buy them. Wintergreen Orchard House, an educational publisher, which helped create the CDS, compiles them every year. The newest Common Data Sets are scheduled to be shipped out to customers, including myself, sometimes this month.

Buying all the  Common Data Sets is pricey, but you can obtain the documents for a single region for $59.

Happy reading.

Lynn O’Shaughnessy is the author of The College Solution and the college blogger for CBSMoneyWatch.com.

I’m taking some time off from my college blog this week and a friend, Ruth McKinnie Braun, who is the creator of the great website: SuchASmartMom.com offered to pitch in and provide this post. Hope you enjoy it…..

Summer is the perfect time for low-key college planning. Setting aside time for exploring college options without the pressure of homework, tests and term papers is a smart use of your time.

An easy way to research during the summer months in on the Internet. I’ve spent hours scouring Web sites and I’m here to tell you I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly. What I’m sharing with you are some of the better online college resources:

1. Check out the  SAT Question of the Day through the College Board. This is a fun way to prepare for the SAT. Find “The Official SAT Question of the Day” and click on the RSS button to have a question sent to you every day.

2. Students and parents will find a ton of useful information on Collegeboard.com, including planning guides for sophomores, juniors and seniors, financial aid, scholarship searches and college searches.

3. Petersons.com and PrincetonReview.com are also top-notch and loaded with information.

4. Unigo.com, which includes videos and reviews of colleges by students attending the schools, is another useful resource. An article that I really like is Finding the Perfect Fit: A College Sizing Guide.

5. If you are interested in a California school, be sure to visit CaliforniaColleges.edu. It has a wealth of information about public and private colleges in the Golden State.

6. Scholarships.com is hands down the best site for scholarship information. Some of the other sites I’ve included above also have scholarship sections.

7. To learn about financial aid and student loans, Student Aid on the Web and Finaid.org are great places to start.

8. The National Center for Education Statistics’ College Navigator has great information about graduation rates, freshman student retention rates, admittance rates and financial aid awards for colleges. Simply type in the name of a school near the top of the page in the section aptly labeled Name of School.

9. For pure enjoyment, you might want to take a look at U.S. News & World Reports college rankings. Bear in mind that this extensive listings has its detractors.

10. Kiplinger magazine’s list of Top 100 public colleges is also worth a look. The financial magazine bases its rankings on a combination of outstanding academic quality and an affordable price tag.