Freshman year

• Discuss the importance of lifelong learning and the value of a good college education.
• Create time and space for your student to establish good study habits.
• Promote extended, well-paced study rather than short-term cramming.
• Discuss the impact of high school grades and course selection on college admission.
• Check curriculum requirements for college entrance.
• Encourage involvement in extra-curricular activities, volunteering and internships or other work experiences.
• Talk with friends and family members enrolled in college about their own experiences.
• Plan for college expenses and explore your savings options.

• Get to know and network with your son’s or daughter’s teachers and counselors.
• Talk about his or her interests and career possibilities.
• Search the web to find examples of your student’s ideal college, and check websites for more information.
• Discuss which factors are most important to your student when choosing a college, such as size, location, majors and related programs, special academic opportunities or athletics.
• Continue your support of extra-curricular involvement and leadership roles.
• Find out whether your student should take the PLAN (pre-ACT) or the PSAT exam.
• Create a system for organizing college correspondence.

• Your son or daughter should develop and follow a plan for the college search process.
• Attend information sessions and college nights sponsored by the high school.
• Consult with your student’s high school counselor for college search ideas and advice.
• Review all options ... if a school seems too costly, find out what scholarships and other financial assistance may be available to you.
• Support your student as he or she prepares for and takes the ACT/SAT exams.
• Find out if your student should take the Advanced Placement or SAT II exams.
• Begin general visits to a variety of schools.
• Network with other parents for information and support, and consider taking turns bringing students and friends to a variety of colleges for visits.

• Help your son or daughter sort through college mail as it arrives.
• Review ACT/SAT results and discuss whether your student should re-test.
• Encourage your student to look at online applications and begin thinking about essay responses.
• Visit a wide variety of schools, from large public universities to independent liberal arts colleges, and choose a wide variety of types of visits—from open houses to special summer programs.
• Check to make sure your student is taking a course load that will prepare him or her for success in the first year of college.
• Develop a list of questions for colleges and take it with you on your visits.

• Send in applications and stay on top of deadlines.
• Keep visiting colleges, and encourage your student to spend the night and attend classes at the schools that spark interest.
• Schedule interviews on campus (as required).
• Remain open-minded as the short list develops.
• Meet deadlines when applying for merit-based scholarships and need-based assistance (for example, Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA).
• Collect all of your tax information and file for financial assistance on time (and keep copies).
• Remain helpful and supportive while the final college choice is made.
• Notify the chosen school and send in the tuition deposit. It’s also courteous to notify all other schools that granted acceptance of your final decision.
• Take a deep breath and relax! You and your college-bound student will encounter new decisions and create new checklists during the summer ahead.