High school students in Ohio can look forward to a Web site that will allow them to apply to college, request financial aid and take virtual campus tours all in one place.

“It’s a one-stop shop for college information,” said Jamie Abel, spokesman for the Board of Regents for Ohio. “It will offer different programs for financial aid and academic preparation, which will allow looking at prerequisites.”

Along with 35 other states, Ohio is turning to an information-based Web site.

Though the Web site, which is expected to launch in January, is aimed at high school students in their preparation for college, it can also be of advantage to college students as well, Abel said.

“If transferring from one campus to another, a college student can track their career progress,” he said.

Senior communications major Josh Green said he did a lot of on-campus tours when searching for his college choice.

“I didn’t really start using the Internet till I came to school,” he said. “Anything that makes it easier – definitely.”

The College Foundation of North Carolina Web site, www.cfnc.org, which launched in 2000, has helped increase North Carolina’s college enrollment statistics from 57 to 68 percent of high school graduates.

Amy Jaskowick, junior public relations major, used both university catalogs and Internet-based research when she was a senior in high school.

“It definitely could have been helpful,” she said. “You could explore a lot more universities that way.”

The Web site will offer information of all the colleges and universities in Ohio.

Contact student affairs reporter Caroline Lautenbacher at [email protected].