It's never too early-or late-to begin preparing to send your son or daughter to college. If you haven't already done so, start a 529 plan. It's a smart way to save for college or pre-pay tuition with special tax benefits. Visit sec.gov for details.

Encourage your son or daughter to get a jump on college preparation, admittance and financing. The following guidelines show students how to prepare for college-even before beginning high school. Spend some time reviewing them together.

Pre-High School - Get on a college track

• Participate in extracurricular activities.
• Talk to people in fields you find interesting to learn about occupations or career paths.
• Explore careers at:
  • monster.com
  • careerbuilder.com
  • mapping-your-future.com

9th-10th Grades - Make wise choices

• Challenge yourself and choose classes that prepare you for advanced study.
• Focus on a specialized interest or talent that could lead to a scholarship.
• Remember that extracurricular activities count toward college acceptance, too.
• Go to work with family members or friends to gain insight on different professions.
• Add campus visits to family vacations when possible.
• Decide if you should take the PSAT in 10th grade, or wait until 11th.

11th Grade - Narrow your focus

• Visit campuses to meet with school counselors, faculty and students.
• Decide the type of school you want to attend-public/private, in-state/out-of-state, etc.
• Take a critical look at your college savings situation; get a quick idea of your available funds with the CompleteEd calculator.
• Start exploring Federal financial aid at studentaid.ed.gov and scholarships at collegeboard.com.
• Begin attending local college and career fairs.
• Increase your involvement in extracurricular activities by taking on leadership roles, high-visibility responsibilities and more.
• Take the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
• Register for the entrance exams required by schools you are considering; some require the SAT, others the ACT.

12th Grade - Make big decisions

• Narrow your college choices.
• Obtain college applications, letters of recommendation and transcripts as early as possible.
• Set up campus interviews, if necessary.
• Keep a calendar of application deadlines and check off each as it's submitted.
• Some funding programs-including FAFSA-require Federal income tax information to verify income, so students and parents should complete tax forms as early as possible.
• Fill out and submit the FAFSA at fafsa.ed.gov in early January.
• Review award letters and accept by deadline.
• Choose a lender for the Federal loan(s) you are awarded.
• Figure available funds and plan your first-year budget with the easy-to-use CompleteEd calculators provided for your convenience.
• Finalize your plan to get the funding you still need.
• Get a summer job that will contribute to your college savings as well as your resume.
• Learn about the responsibilities and risks of debt and how to manage money.