Preparing Tips before your Child Graduates HighSchool

Increase your Career Choices

It is never too early to start planning your child's eduction beyond High School. Education beyo highschool provides more choices in jobs that otherwise would not be possible, opens doors to higher paying posiitons and opens up the opportunity to do the things you enjoy. Advancing your education expands your possibilities.

NOTE: Non-federal financial assistance programs and requirements often vary from school to school. Always check with your school before applying for financial aid.

Students

Evaluate Your Interests
Timetable Planner
Student Planner
Standardized Tests

Parents

Start Early
Higher Education Savings Plans
College Savings Calculator

Students

Assess Yourself

The first step to finding the right program and type of school for you is to evaluate your interests. A self-assessment will help you examine your interests and goals, and offers ideas on fields of study and careers that might be right for you.

For information on careers, latest career fields in demand, how to get the training you need for the job you want, and where to look for a job, visit Career Voyages .

Planner Timeline

Find out what you should be doing each year of high school to start preparing for college.

Student Planner

Use this tool to enter your high school courses and standardized test scores and determine whether you meet the minimum requirements of the schools of your choice. Please be patient if we don't currently have the academic requirements of your college choice; we are adding more as we receive them.

Take the Tests

Once you have assessed your interests and determined what type of program you want to enroll in, you may be required to take one or more standardized tests. Here you will find more information about common standardized tests and what you need to do to prepare for them.

Parents

Start Early

The "Think College Early" web site has been archived. Coming in 2007, we'll have a new web site that addresses Early Awareness for Elementary students. We welcome your suggestions and ideas on how the new web site can better serve you. Please send your comments to Ask.AidAwareness@ed.gov. At this time, we're unable to respond directly to respondents.

Preparing for your child's higher education is a long-term commitment. Find out here about higher education savings plans and what you can do to help your child get ready for life beyond high school.

College Savings Calculator

Use this handy calculator to determine how much you could or should be saving to meet college expenses, and how to maximize your savings efforts.