December: Get organized.

Prepare for financial aid paperwork.

• Your child can begin filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on January 1. This application is required by colleges to determine your eligibility for many types of financial aid. You'll need to gather several financial documents from your child's records and your own. Visit the FAFSA Web site for a list of required financial documents.
• Go to www.pin.ed.gov to obtain a personal identification number (PIN) now – it will save you time later. The PIN is used as an electronic signature on the online FAFSA, and your family will need two – one for you and one for your child.
• Some colleges require the CSS/Financial Aid PROLFILE®. Ask your child's target colleges whether they need it, and if so, fill it out online at www.collegeboard.com. Fill out the PROFILE only if target colleges require it. Unlike the FAFSA, the PROFILE requires a fee.

Attend a VSAC workshop.

VSAC offers several FREE workshops on everything from SAT and ACT test preparation to the financial aid process.

• Check out the list of VSAC Resource Center workshops.
• Plan to attend VSAC's 2008 College Pathways conference, a free college planning event for high school juniors and their parents. Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 15 at Saint Michael's College; Saturday, March 29 at Castleton State College; or Saturday, April 12 at Lyndon State College. Visit www.vsac.org in early February for online registration.