Remember that first day of school, when you saw your child off to the bus or enter the kindergarten door? The emotional tug of that first day often returns as we send our most prized possession on to college. Written by two parents who have experienced this venture, this parent guide will help you instill independence in your blossoming young adult, while giving you tips on how to bring balance to that last year at home and the first year away.

Your child will be starting his junior year of high school next fall. You and the family have already started to talk about colleges. Neighbors, friends, and relatives have given you advice about which college is best. Before you go any further, read Pope’s book about the colleges that empower, develop a sense of community, and hire professors who build collaborative relationships with students. Make sure you read the chapter entitled: “Taking Your Learning Disability to College”.

Now that your child has chosen her college, you’ve sent in the deposit, and graduation is almost here, it is time to start thinking about the cost of setting up a dorm room, planning a college budget, considering what courses she will take first semester, and how you will survive the process of “moving out” and “moving on”. The authors direct their attention to the student who will be going to college, but this book is also a valuable tool for parents in figuring out which skills to practice over the summer, what discussions are most important before your child leaves, and provides a concise checklist of items to start gathering for the trip to college.

If you’re just beginning to think about the college search, this book is for you. You’ll find lots of practical advice, worksheets, and questionnaires to help you get started. From self-reflection, to narrowing down the college list, to how to deal with rejection letters, this tool book will guide you through the process of finding a good fit college. Replace your stress with the confidence of knowing how the process works.

With the federal government’s changes in financial aid programs, this book is a must. Ms. O’Shaughnessy will give you an overview of the many factors that affect college costs and financial aid. It will also dispel some common myths about colleg-ebased scholarships, grants, and loans. This resource will provide some thoughtful strategies and realistic solutions facing families who want their child to receive a good college education with an affordable price tag.

Everything you need to know about planning a campus visit can be found in this compact informational guide. Be sure to check out the practical checklists. From reading a college website and catalog, to how to dress and prepare for the interview, to selecting a college to visit and evaluating the tour, the author uses her 20 plus years of experience as a college advisor to help you plan a more worthwhile and successful campus visit.
(Campus Visits & College Interviews by Zola Dincin Schneider offers practical advice on how to prepare for and take a campus tour including the surrounding community.)

We like lists, especially when we can check off the tasks we have accomplished. This book provides a timeline that spans from ninth to twelfth grade, with step-by-step guides and strategies to approach each opportunity and tackle many hurdles in the preparations for college. From what courses to take, to studying for the college entrance exams, to visiting college campuses, all the way to packing for your freshman year, this nifty, easy to read guide, may become a well-worn road map for the next four years of high school.

The search for the right college can be overwhelming and we often count on our high school guidance counselors to know all the answers to our unending questions. Since no one counselor has all the answers, the Princeton Review engaged in a survey of 200 college counselors throughout the United States, to help answer some common questions asked by high school students and their parents. This book will arm you with more information about the college search and therefore boost your confidence in the application process.