Mediaboss Marketing

By Kate Freeman

FORTUNE -- High school senior Savannah Stehlin says she's "on every social networking site imaginable," and many of her peers would say the same. So it makes sense why ACT, the non-profit behind the popular college entrance exam with the same name, is launching ACT Profile, a new social networking site that prepares high school students for college.

ACT Profile will attract students in the digital-loving "Generation Z" to find majors, universities, and careers on a website that merges social networking with years of college and career planning data. It is just one of several websites that are making high school guidance counselors' jobs a bit easier and bringing the college guidance process to the social networking realm of the web.

Stehlin says sites that blend social media with college planning will be useful for young people -- "I usually find people on Facebook who attend the college I want to go to and message them," she explains.

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Like Facebook (FB), ACT Profile has a wall and the option to "friend" other users. A student can share her ACT test scores, college admission updates, and other college-and-career-related information. It's also completely free to create an account. ACT Profile moved into open beta on Sept. 9, and the site is open to anyone 13 years old or older.

"Since many students are already online, we designed ACT Profile to connect with today's established social networks like Facebook and Twitter," says John Corrigan, VP of consumer experience at ACT. "We want to help students engage in conversation to explore their options -- like what it takes to major in a certain subject or become qualified in a certain career --in a familiar and social context. Exactly how much someone decides to share with others will be up to the individual."

Stehlin says she sees this niche social network as an opportunity for college-bound high school students to help each other. Sharing test scores and planning next steps with other students can provide support.

Students are stronger "when they have a whole network of people behind them, encouraging and supporting them on their next standardized test endeavor."

There are three quizzes on the site; each take about five-10 minutes to complete. One is an interest test, the other an abilities test, and lastly a values test. Corrigan says what sets ACT Profile apart from other aptitude tests is its years of data and research used to make the quizzes.

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The social side of college planning