College Planning

College planning used to be relatively simple. Typically, parents and children started discussing college options in a student's junior year of high school. More often than not, the discussions focused on a student's area of interest, the total cost, and who would be paying for the education.

Of course, those issues still have significant impact on the final decision, but there are so many more factors to consider for today's future graduates and their families. Some issues include whether or not to take classes to prepare your son or daughter for the SAT and ACT, which activities and clubs need to be highlighted and prioritized on the college application, and how your child needs to "position" him or her self to accentuate their chance of being accepted.

If you need help working through the maze of decisions, college planners can be excellent resources to help students and their parents navigate the process. Many college planners start working with students in their junior year of high school, although some students and their families start the process even earlier. Taking control of the plannign process and finding the best school options for your student may help them be more successful, enjoy the college experience more and prevent unnecessary transfers.

So, if you feel you lack the expertise and don't want to tackle the college planning process alone, Mercer Island resident, Joan Franklin-owner of The College Source, an Independent College Consulting Practice (www.thecollegesource.org)- can help. Joan can be reached at 232-5626 or joanfranklin@thecollegesource.org.