Timing

In the stock market, timing is everything; traders take great pains in their efforts to "buy low and sell high.

Baseball players spend years perfecting the timing required to swing a bat and connect with a speeding ball.

Your car's timing directly affects its performance - and your ability to get you where you want to go and with the price of gas, how much it will cost to get there.

If your timing is right, if you follow the proper sequence or if perform the correct steps at the correct points in the process, you will greatly increase your child's chances of getting the necessary education funding.

You will also reduce your own stress level, a sound reason in itself.

Timing is extremely important in the entire process of education.

Even in grade school it is the parents who know when homework assignments are due or when tests are to be given who have the edge. They know what their child's interests are and what their teachers are teaching them. They know if interest and/or aptitude tests are available. They know what their child's testing levels are in various subjects such as english, math, science, art, etc. With this information parents are prepared to take corrective action if necessary and to encourage their child to perform better in school.

In junior high or middle school parents really need to keep up with their child's interests and scholastic standings. Parents need to begin planning for their child's high school course of studies by looking at their study habits, their extra curricular activities, their GPA. As parents get involved with their child's school experience, they will be better prepared to help them in high school.

In high school parents need to start files to keep track of potential colleges, honors and awards, school grades (GPA), income tax information, who owns assets, etc. Once again as parents get involved with their child's school experience, they will be better prepared to help them.

The collection of information is critical in the timing and submission of applications, fafsa forms, dates to submit them and when to expect answers, etc. The better your timeline is prepared, the more successful you will be in helping your child.

With correct timing parents increase their ability to receive financial aid, know when to apply for scholarships, when to change ownership of assets, make adjustments in their college savings plan.

To make sure your timing and other pieces of the preparing for college puzzle are in place make sure you subscribe to The College Planner Digest.