There are a lot of steps in between helping your child with the college application process and dropping them off at the college dorm, so it is important for you to have a plan of action.  The following tips can help you get off to the right start and have a solid plan to follow.

Tip #1 – Search and Apply to Colleges and Universities that are Reasonable

You and your college-bound teenager should look for and apply to colleges that are feasible, affordable, and provide a curriculum that fits their needs, qualifications and interests.  However, there are thousands of colleges to choose from, and oftentimes it is hard to know where to start.

With this in mind, a quick, easy and hassle-free way of beginning the college search and selection process is to access the Smart College Report, which offers everything from a list of colleges that match your son or daughter’s preferences to invaluable tips and resources about loan borrowing, financial aid, scholarship information, letter templates to contact admissions officers, and if your child plays a sport and wants to continue playing in college, a letter template series to help them contact coaches, and much more.

Tip #2 – Narrow Down Colleges Wisely

Once you and your teenager review the list of colleges in their Smart College Report, we recommend that together, you narrow the colleges down as follows:

First, select a few that are known as “safety schools”, which means that based upon their academic profile, your son or daughter will almost certainly be admitted (i.e., their GPA and test scores are higher than the average student at that college).  Next, they should choose an additional few colleges that are “match schools”, which are those that they can be reasonably certain they can get in to, because their GPA and test scores match the college’s specific requirements.  Then, your teenager should also pick several “reach schools”, which are colleges that put them at the lower end or below the admitted student spectrum.

This systematic approach will give your son or daughter a full range of colleges to choose from and apply to.

Starting to think about college is exciting for most high school students.  However, more often than not, students are not the only ones who experience this sentiment.  Parents are often involved in helping their son or daughter during this time, often recounting their own emotions and experiences when they were in the same position.  In this view, it is important for parents to have an organized plan of attack so that they can add the most value to their son or daughter’s college search and selection process.   As such, consider the tips below for you to follow as you embark on this very important journey with your child:

    •    Do your research – the only way to learn about which colleges may be right for your son or daughter is to do as much research as possible.  One tip in streamlining this process is to access and use the Choose It Right Smart College Report, which is an “all-in-one and done” service that with the click of a button, offers you everything from a list of colleges that match your son or daughter’s qualifications and preferences to critical information about scholarships, paying for college, and other important factors.  This will save you 100’s of hours of researching colleges, and provide you with the perfect place to start the search and selection process.

    •    Be a well-informed guide – once you have the results of the Smart College Report, discuss them with your son or daughter.  Open and honest conversations about college possibilities, including whether there are any financial and/or geographical restrictions, are critical to get out on the table as early as possible so as to best manage your child’s expectations.

    •    Narrow down your list of colleges – now that you have a list of colleges for your son or daughter to consider, narrow them down to perhaps ten or less and conduct further research on each. This includes checking out each college’s website, doing campus visits, and talking with current and former students about their thoughts and experiences.