Encouraging your child to apply to and attend college, and supporting that effort in as many ways as you can, is one of the most important efforts you can make as a parent or guardian. To help, Connect for Kids has put together this tool kit to help parents and their children understand the college process. It includes everything from scholarship searches to courses your child should be taking at what year to search engines helping you decide on the right college.

Preparing for College

Guide for Parents

• A ten-step guide preparing parents for their children's college experience; beginning with pre-school, ending with high school.
• Collegeboard.com has put together a list of resources ranging from SAT prep to understanding finances for parents of college bound parents.
• Encourage your middle school children to believe that college is an option.

Guide for Students

• Are the courses and activities you are taking in high school the ones colleges are looking for?
• Tips for middle students on taking the right steps.
• College Answer provides information on SAT prep, dates, fees, and how to register.
• CollegeBoard.com offers in-depth action plans for college-bound high school juniors and seniors.

Searching for the right College

• This college search engine asks questions ranging from where your child wants to go to college to what type of campus life he or she is looking for. It sorts through the database and offers descriptions of the colleges that fit your child's answers.
• Select areas of importance from a group of criteria and get matched with the college of your choice. Offers descriptions, as well as virtual campus tours, and application information.
• Questions to ask when choosing a college.
• How to plan a campus visit.
• If you can't visit the college, here are some helpful tips on learning more about it.

The Application Process

• Finding the right school is one thing, getting into that school is another. Consult the Admissions Guru at My College Guide for frank advice.
• The Princeton Review Application Advice provides a step-by-step guide to applying to the schools you have selected. Accepted.com offers valuable application advice, sample college admission essays, tips for getting the most out of your recommendations, and more.

Paying for College

• A step-by-step guide to explaining financial aid and paying for college.
• Don't be discouraged by 'sticker shock', college isn't as expensive as you think. A USA TODAY analysis looks at what students actually pay in tuition and fees.
• "How families of Low- and Middle Income Undergraduates Pay for College: Full-Time Dependent Students in 1999-2000." This study was done by the National Center for Education Statistics, released in 2003. The report describes how families of dependent students paid for college, emphasizing variation by family income and type of institution attended.
• Free scholarship searches
• www.fastweb.com
• www.college-scholarships.com
• www.guaranteed-scholarships.com
• Comprehensive financial aid information about scholarships, loans, savings, and military aid. Also has custom calculators to project college costs, estimate financial aid, and plan for loan repayment.
• Download forms, fill out and renew applications online, find deadline dates, and get numerous tips on how to tackle both federal and state financial aid forms.

Ways to Save Money on College

• Getting college credit before going to College: Advanced Placement Courses.
• Community College
• Loan Forgiveness
• Work Study
• For information about work study, military service, and community service as ways to save money on college.