U.S. Department of Education. The U.S. Department of Education was created in 1980 by combining offices from several federal agencies. Its original directive remains its mission today: to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation. The U.S. Department of Education is dedicated to:* Establishing policies on federal financial aid for education, as well as distributing and monitoring those funds.* Collecting data on America’s schools and disseminating research.* Focusing national attention on key educational issues.* Prohibiting discrimination and ensuring equal access to education.FAFSA. Each year that you are enrolled, you are required to fill out a new FAFSA to allow you to qualify for loans such as the Federal Stafford, Perkins, and PLUS loans. Complete your FAFSA online.FinAid.com. Comprehensive financial aid resource.CollegeBoard.com Association of colleges that oversees the SAT, the PSAT, and the Advanced Placement (AP) Program, as well as other programs and services in college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, teaching, and learning.U.S. News Online: Education. Search for colleges, grad schools, national rankings, and scholarships.Princeton Review. Information on colleges and grad schools, as well as assistance with preparation for admissions tests.CollegeNET.com. Online college applications and college search functions.