Parents and guardians: whether or not you are a college graduate, you are an essential member of your child’s success 
network. Working together from ninth grade through the transition to college is important for your child’s success.  
This checklist will guide you through each stage of the college admissions process.
Preparing for College 
 Create an environment at home that is conducive  
to doing schoolwork (p. 10).
 Talk with school counselors and teachers about 
your child’s college plans and ask how you can  
support their path to college (p. 6).
 Learn about college prep supports for high  
schoolers, like Advance at College, Summer  
Search, and Upward Bound (p. 68).
 Enroll your child in an SAT or ACT preparation 
course and/or find online test prep tools (p. 32).
 Talk with your child about making good personal 
decisions, which will support their goal of  
attending college (pp. 9-11).
 Find out if you have access to Xello through your 
school and learn how it can help you through the 
college admissions process (p. 23).
Applying to College
 Research colleges together to identify schools  
that fit your child’s needs academically, socially,  
and financially (pp. 15-23).
 Attend college fairs and visit colleges with your  
child (pp. 23-24).
 Be aware of deadlines for college applications  
and financial aid forms. Put deadlines on a  
family calendar.
 Help your child with applications by proofreading 
them and keeping paperwork organized (p. 39).
 Make copies of all documents sent by mail or  
submitted online and place in a college file.
 Designate a place for all college-related mail and 
regularly review it together.
Paying for College 
 Involve your child in discussions about financing 
their college education (pp. 41-45).
 Attend financial aid workshops and do research  
online (pp. 41-58).
 Open a Pennsylvania 529 College Savings Plan  
account. Learn more at www.pa529.com.
 Help your child research scholarships (pp. 53-54).
 Estimate your Student Aid Index (SAI) (p. 42).
 Help your high school senior complete and submit 
the FAFSA as soon as possible, typically beginning 
in October (pp. 46-47).
 Remember: a college is not the “right fit” if it  
is not affordable for your family.
Transitioning to College
 Make sure your child keeps current with mail and 
email the summer before college for instructions 
related to housing, billing, medical forms, etc.  
(pp. 60-61).
 Talk with your child about managing expenses  
at college (p. 62).
 Encourage your child to use on-campus resources, 
such as tutoring, the health center, and the  
counseling center (p. 60).
 The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act 
(FERPA) protects your child’s privacy, but denies 
you access to financial, healthcare, or educational  
information about your child from their college.  
Your child must sign a waiver to grant you access  
to college bills, transcripts, and/or health  
information. Look for information about FERPA  
on the college’s website.
Activity   Family Checklist
Checklists
Checklists
63

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