DON’T…

…tell them exactly which school they have to go to.  There are lots
of choices out there so let them explore first and then discuss the
financial aspects.

…bribe them into going to your alma mater or the home of your favorite football team.

…limit the distance they can travel for college. Focus on the “best fit” not the travel distance.

DO…

…encourage them to broaden their search. If they only check out a
couple of colleges, they may miss out on a school that is only a few
miles in a different direction.

…visit campuses. Visiting the college campuses is critical in the
decision making process.  Go to the college website and set up an
official tour.

…offer to help. Their senior year is really busy with homework,
projects, extracurricular activities, completing applications, tests,
etc.  Offer to help gather information about the
colleges in which they are interested. 

…set a designated time once a week to discuss the college search.

…encourage your child to keep his or her grades up, because senior
grades do count.  Scholarships could decide what college they attend;
don’t let them miss out on some because of their GPA.