<p>Soochow, don’t just rely on one post to figure this out. Go see the sticky threads at the top of the college search & selection, and financial aid forums. Post #6 is full of great advice IF you are only gunning for prestigious schools and “fit” isn’t your concern (that poster should really stop posting that list as if it were a ‘great’ list – it is a “bragging” list about spending money and doing their kid’s work to get them into a “top” college regardless of whether the college is well suited to the kid). About the only thing I agree with from that post is that a spreadsheet is a very good way to track information and target dates. I also agree that it is easier for a student if parents get involved, but a smart, driven student can get good results without much parental involvement as well (one of D2’s friends is headed off to Stanford this fall and he did his entire college search himself with only a small amount of assistance from his HS guidance counselor).</p>
<p>If you don’t have the Fiske Book of Colleges yet, that is a very good resource.</p>
<p>A student and parents can certainly DIY in the college admissions process. But people are in widely varying situations – financial, academic, geographic, etc. College Confidential is a great place to get that info, but posting such broad question is like trying to boil the ocean. Lurk for a while, and make sure you pay attention to all the sticky threads, then ask specific questions about the process and a given school. Don’t do what poster #6 did – make a list of top schools and shoot at them until you hit one with lots of help from adults.</p>