| STUDENT | TIMELINE-DEADLINE | PARENTING TO DO’s |
| MIDDLE SCHOOL | ||
| 7 & 8th Grade | Discuss high school expectations – college prep or vocational –technical | |
| 7 & 8th Grade | Encourage involvement extra-curriculum/community activities; athletics, visual and performing arts | |
| HIGH SCHOOL | ||
| 9th Grade | Create a high school resume/profile | |
| Monitor study habits & learning skills | ||
| Keep extra-curriculum/community activities going; athletics, visual and performing arts | ||
| Get Financial Prepared – Get Pre-Approved | ||
| Summer | Keep the reading going | |
| 10th Grade | Discuss educational plans after high school | |
| Learn about college costs & have a real family conversation about “ability” to pay for college | ||
| Monitor study habits & learning skills | ||
| Get Financially Prepared – Get Pre-Approved | ||
| Summer | Go on a college campus visit | |
| 11th Grade | Formulate a College Search List | |
| Keep extra-curriculum/community activities going; athletics, visual and performing arts | ||
| Finalize the Financials – Find out about the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and sample the Net Educational Costs at a few colleges | ||
| Ask about college fairs, visits and guest from colleges at the high school | ||
| Schedule campus tours | ||
| Plan for standardized testing | ||
| Summer | Inquire about whose working or volunteering & where | |
| 12th Grade | Work together to apply for acceptance | |
| Apply for Financial Aid – Submit the FAFSA | ||
| Decide how the net educational costs will get paid | ||
| Make a family decision | ||
| Submit the deposit | ||
| Summer | Plan the move to college | |
| COLLEGE | 13th Year | Check in periodically to make sure your new college student is adjusting, academically, socially, emotionally |
| Confirm the next semester payment | ||
| FRESH START | Now | Everything above – just faster!! |