By Carol DelPropost

Between the initial research process, the college visit "road trips" and solving the financial puzzle, finding the right fit for your child’s college education can be overwhelming. Here are some tips to get you started down the right path:

High school students should start to explore their collegiate options by the end of the sophomore year or beginning of the junior year. The best way to begin is to do a self-assessment. Encourage your child to think about the areas of study he or she might enjoy and the type of atmosphere that is ideal. It’s completely normal to be unsure of exactly what to study and what might make the best fit. Googling "college search" is a good way to find an array of Web-based search engines to help in the research process.

There are more than 4,000 colleges in the United States, so if your child doesn’t narrow down the scope using size, location and other characteristics, the selection process will be overwhelming. It’s best to explore different types of schools, such as smaller liberal arts schools, as well as larger state schools, to get a feel for which characteristics are important.

There isn’t a magic number regarding the number of schools you should visit, but encourage your son or daughter to narrow the choices based on what’s important. This could be a rural setting or a large, metropolitan area, across town or across the country. All of these traits are vital in the decision-making process.

During the visit, prospective students should ask lots of questions, such as: How rigorous are the academic programs? Do students have direct access to faculty? What are the dining options? Encourage your child to talk directly with faculty, preferably in the areas of study in which he or she is interested, and also to current students and admission counselors. Make sure your child pays close attention to how students interact and whether that aligns with his or her social needs.

Once a student narrows down the choices, applying to five or six schools is plenty. Your son or daughter shouldn’t underestimate the time and effort involved with applying to multiple colleges and should avoid making the final decision harder than it has to be. Unless your child really wants to attend a particular college, encourage him or her not to put it on the short list.

Because the rest of the application process is based on factual elements, such as grades and test scores, the essay portion is the student’s opportunity to showcase his or her personality. If there are extenuating circumstances as to why a student didn’t excel in a particular class, or even throughout a specific time period, it should be addressed head on. Of course, the essay needs to be free of grammatical errors.

For most people, if not all, a college education is attainable. The first step is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), because without it, your son or daughter isn’t eligible for state or federal grant aid. Financial aid often levels the playing field between state schools and private schools, so don’t rule out your child’s options without checking into the details.

Encourage your son or daughter to start looking for scholarship opportunities early on. The Internet can lead you to many free and helpful Web sites, such as fastweb.com. If you have any questions along the way, seek advice from the financial aid advisors at the schools you’re exploring.

Finally, don’t rule out the value of student loans, as the payback often comes with a low interest rate. A college education is an investment you and your child won’t regret.

Carol DelPropost is assistant vice president for admission and financial aid at Ohio Wesleyan University. She has more than 27 years of experience in the collegiate admission process and previously worked as an advanced placement English teacher. Featured in the book Colleges That Change Lives, Ohio Wesleyan University (www.owu.edu) is a private, undergraduate liberal arts college with 1,850 students from 40 states and 45 countries.