Introduction

The realization that your child might some day want to attend college, and perhaps be the first in your family to do so, can come at any time.

· From the moment she was born, you've known that you wanted her to have a better education than you had, and you've known that will require a college education.
· Some time during his middle school years, you received information from the school about something called the "college bound" or "academic" curriculum, and you began to think about whether he would attend college.
· She started talking about her friend's older brother who goes to Southern State University and how she'd like to go there too.
· He suddenly began to receive information about colleges in the mail, and they looked more like vacation brochures than mailings about an education.

But this all seems so vague! Isn't college incredibly expensive? In today's economy, wouldn't it be better to get training that is sure to lead to employment? The last thing you need is to spend all that money on someone who won't be able to get a job! What possible benefit can there be to courses in "Art Appreciation" or "Eastern Philosophy" or "The History of Africa"? Isn't college really just an excuse to go to parties for four years? You've done well for your family without a four-year degree… shouldn't your son or daughter be able to do as well?

Or, perhaps you are certain that a college degree is important to your child's future. But it's all so confusing! How can you choose the right college? Why are some schools so much more expensive than others? You want to help your child, but you don't even know where to start… and you don't want to look stupid yourself. All those brochures look alike. What really matters in picking a college?

We hope to give you some solid information about colleges and universities. Specifically, you'll learn about:

· The importance of parent support to students going on to college.
· The differences between a four-year college and a two-year or technical training school.
· The differences between commuting to school and living in a dorm or other campus housing.
· Timelines for the college search process.
· How to "decode" college brochures and information about the college search process.
· Financial aid, and why it rarely costs as much as the "sticker price" to attend college.
· What YOU can do to support your child's decision to attend college.
· Common concerns and fears that parents face when they send their children away to college.

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