<p>For the next few months, can someone share, the various important tasks to be completed for a college search and the admission process- its nerve wrecking!!</p>
<p>Well, it all depends on your answers to a lot of questions:</p>
<p>Are you the parent or student? </p>
<p>GPA weighted and unweighted
ACT/SAT scores
Extra curricular activities
volunteer work
expected family contribution
financial need, yes or no
what can family afford
private or public
size of school
Liberal Arts College or University setting
in state or out of state
region of country- East coast, West coast, Midwest, or South
preppy, quirky, religious or not religious
all female or all male campus
possible majors or areas of interest</p>
<p>Go to the library and grab all the college handbooks such as Fiske, Princeton Review, College Board, and America’s Best Colleges.</p>
<p>Learn about common data sets and review them for all schools of interest.
Learn about and understand financial aid, merit scholarships, need based aid, and gapping.
Learn about and understand what FAFSA and College Profile are. Print out and fill in based on anticipated wages for this year to give you an idea of expected costs.
Learn about and understand about the Common Application and this year’s essay questions. <a href=“https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Docs/DownloadForms/2013/EssayAnnouncementFinal.pdf[/url]”>https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Docs/DownloadForms/2013/EssayAnnouncementFinal.pdf</a>
Learn about and understand lottery schools, safety schools, match schools and reach schools.</p>
<p>Try to visit as many schools as you can prior to high school beginning in the fall. Summer visits are not the best, but at this point, they are better than none. </p>
<p>Visit the Parent and student threads for Class of 2014. Research the other threads for ideas of schools.</p>
<p>If you look at the top of the parent forum, you will see link to the Parents of High School Class of XX Community. Once within in that sub-forum, you will find threads for various graduating classes. </p>
<p>[Class</a> of 20xx Community - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/class-20xx-community/]Class”>Class of 20xx Community - College Confidential Forums)</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/class-20xx-community/953597-parents-hs-class-2014-a.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/class-20xx-community/953597-parents-hs-class-2014-a.html</a></p>
<p>Look at the left for the Top Forum section, and post questions within any of the forums. </p>
<p>There’s a lot of work to do in a really sort period of time.</p>