Financing a college education is likely one of the biggest expenses your family will face. If college is in the near future, a little planning can make all of the difference between the experience being a financial hardship or a strategic investment.

If you haven't started already, the beginning of the senior year of high school is a critical place to get moving.

Select a month: September October November December January February March April May June July August Calendar

September   • Look for scholarship opportunities. Some employers offer scholarship money to children of employees. Sometimes local organizations have scholarship programs for high school seniors. Meet with your high school counselor to get information on scholarships. Check the local library and search the Internet to see if you can find other scholarship opportunities and tell everyone you know to send scholarship information your way.   • Request applications and financial-aid information from colleges you're interested in.   • Register to take the SAT or ACT and enroll in an SAT or ACT preparation course since test scores are often among the criteria used to determine scholarship winners.   • Although it's too early to complete an FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, use an EFC calculator to get an early read on your eligibility for financial assistance.