Parent Path

During your son's or daughter's high school years, he or she will begin to think about long-term interests and career goals, and make many important decisions. This checklist will help you to help your student during one major decision-making process the search for the right college.

Freshman Year

• Discuss the importance of lifelong learning and the value of a college education.

• Create a space and time for your student to establish good study habits.

• Promote extended, well-paced study rather than short-term cramming.

• Discuss the impact of grades and course selection on college admission.

• Check curriculum requirements for college entrance.

• Encourage involvement in extracurricular activities, volunteering, and internships or other work experiences.

• Engage your student in decision-making so that he or she learns to look at options carefully, to act decisively, and to take responsibility for final decisions.

• Plan for college expenses... explore your savings options.

Sophomore Year

• Start to network with your son's or daughter's teachers and counselors.

• Talk about his or her interests and career possibilities.

• Begin exploring appropriate college options with your student.

• Continue your support of extracurricular involvement and encourage participation in leadership roles.

• Inquire as to whether your student should take the PLAN (pre-ACT) or the PSAT exam.

• Keep college correspondence in a well-organized file.

Junior Year

• Your student should develop and follow a plan of college search.

• Attend information sessions sponsored by the high school.

• Consult with your son or daughter'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.

• Your student should prepare for and take the ACT/SAT exams.

• Network (check progress and commiserate) with other parents.

Summer Before Senior Year

• Help your son or daughter to sort through college mail as it arrives.

• Review ACT/SAT results and discuss whether your student should retest.

• Visit different types of schools: small and large, vocational and liberal arts, private and public.

• Develop a list of questions for colleges and take them with you on your visits.

Senior Year

• Send in applications and be aware of deadlines.

• Make additional visits and encourage your student to spend the night and attend classes at the schools that spark his or her interest.

• Remain open-minded as the short list develops.

• Stay positive - the search for the right school can be exhausting and stressful at times.

• Meet deadlines when applying for merit-based scholarships and need-based assistance (for example, FAFSA).

• Collect all of your tax information and file for financial assistance in a timely fashion (and keep copies).

• Remain helpful and supportive while the final college choice is made.

• Notify the chosen school of the final decision and send in the tuition deposit. It also is common courtesy to notify all other schools that granted acceptance.

• Take a deep breath and relax! You and your college-bound student will encounter new decisions and create new checklists during the summer ahead.

Brought to you as a public service by Augustana, Rock Island, Illinois. © Augustana College 1994-2002www.Augustana.edu and www.CollegeQuestions.org