What are you looking for?

Colleges that match your interests and circumstances: Two-year and four-year colleges, public and private, large and small, in and out-of-state, specialized colleges (perhaps for engineering, tech, or sciences) and those for liberal arts, “safety schools” (where you can pretty much count on admission) and “reaches” (where your chances of getting in are slim but you would dance if they accept you).

Goal: Create a manageable list of colleges that fit you.

The nuts and bolts of the college application process: What the PSATs, SATs, and ACTs consist of, and the dates they are given at your school; what’s required for admission to the colleges that interest you and when their applications are due; what’s involved in the “Common Application,” the college essay, letters of recommendation, your college resume.

Goal: Make sure you have everything required to make strong applications (on time!) to the colleges on your list.

Everything you need to know about financial aid: What’s available from the federal government, including Pell Grants; which scholarships you may be eligible for; how to fill out the required FAFSA form for all students seeking financial aid; work-study options at the colleges where you apply.

Goal: Secure the money you need for college, while thinking through your plan for handling

long-term debt.