March: Eyes on the future.

Parents of seniors: Continue working on financial aid paperwork.

Your child can begin filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) after January 1. This application is required by colleges to determine your child's 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, http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/before003.htm.

• If your child has already completed the FAFSA, you should receive his/her Student Aid Report (SAR) from the Federal Student Aid Programs by mail or e-mail. Review the SAR for accuracy and follow all instructions. If you need to make corrections, submit them on the FAFSA Web site at www.fafsa.ed.gov or on paper.
• Update your child's FAFSA as soon as your taxes have been completed.
• Respond promptly to all requests from colleges and VSAC for additional information. Remember to make copies of all correspondence for your files.
• Obtain a VSAC Scholarships booklet (PDF) online or from your high school guidance office. This booklet is a great financial aid tool, containing information on more than 120 VSAC-assisted scholarships with only one application for all the scholarships.

Mid-spring, each college will send your child a financial aid award letter (also called an award notification) detailing your child's financial aid package at that school. No two awards are alike; it's important to compare them carefully to determine the offer that best meets your family's needs.

• Call the college's financial aid office if you have any questions about the types of aid or the amounts awarded.
• Use VSAC's Award Letter Comparison Tool (XLS)
• If you need additional help comparing award letters, contact VSAC's Customer Relations Department or stop by the VSAC Resource Center in downtown Winooski.

Parents of juniors: Sign up for College Pathways.

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 one of the following dates:

• Saturday, March 15, at Saint Michael's College
• Saturday, March 29, at Castleton State College
• Saturday, April 12, at Lyndon State College

Visit www.vsac.org for online registration. Register early for the best workshop selection.

Parents of all high school students: Investigate summer opportunities.

Don't let your child's summer become boring! With a little planning now, your child can enjoy one or more amazing opportunities designed specially for high school students. Opportunities include:

• MedQuest – Spend an intensive week on a Vermont college campus learning about health care careers and talking to people in the health care profession.
• Lake Champlain Maritime Museum – Enjoy learning opportunities and sailing expeditions.
• Volunteers for Peace – Join an international volunteer work camp in the United States or abroad.
• Putney School Summer Programs – Pursue your interest in visual and performing arts, writing, or ELL in an independent and creative environment in Putney, Vermont.

Learn more about summer opportunities for Vermont students.