<p>In one of my first CC posts, I asked about planning</a> way ahead for applying for college. That thread shared a lot of useful information, and particularly interesting to me was that many of the young people who posted in that thread appear to have gotten into their first-choice programs. Starting early to gather information about various colleges, about what colleges look for in applicants, and about how to pay for college seems to be helpful and increase possibilities for the future. It's great that CC makes early information available to parents like me (whose oldest child is thirteen as I post this) who would be unlikely to get useful information from a high school counselor. </p>
<p>It appears that early preparation reduces rather than increases pressure on an applicant. The student has time to weigh what's really special about each college, and to align a high school program with his or her own passionate interests. It also means that application essays, college interviews, and everything else about the application process is less rushed and harried. </p>
<p>I like early visits to the National</a> College Fair events as one aspect of early planning. What do you recommend for getting ready early for college applications?</p>