The Princeton Review, which is best known for its books on the college application process and its test-prep courses, has announced a new business line. The company will offer online courses for $70-$200 each on parts of the college application and financial aid process.

The idea, the company says, is to offer information and services that families feel they may not be getting from high school guidance counselors, but priced for those who can't afford private counselors. Some experts on admissions see the announcement as a possible arrival of a new middle market in private counseling for a broader range of families. But some of those same experts say that society would be better served by providing more support to high school counselors.

The company's announcement this week follows earlier moves by Princeton Review to broaden its role in higher education. Last year, Princeton Review (in a diversification strategy in some ways similar to that of its rival Kaplan) purchased Penn Foster Education Group, which offers online associate and bachelor's degrees in career-related fields. The move shifted the company from coaching test takers and producing guidebooks to providing more formal education. The new announcement will be another addition to the company's services.