Recently, a parent was talking to her 7th-grade son about the need to get good grades. It occurred to her that maybe her son didn't know why good grades were important. When she asked him why it was important to get good grades, the son replied, "Because you want to. It's good to have good grades." The mother realized that her son didn't see the big picture.

It's never too early to explain the big picture to your child, to show how hard work in school leads to more choices in the future.

Don't just stop at "good grades get you into a good college." Consider sharing these additional points with your child:

• Learning well in the early grades prepares you to take advanced classes later in high school.
• Taking advanced classes prepares you to do well in college.
• Being prepared to do college work eliminates the need to take remedial classes in college to catch up.
• Being prepared to do college work also improves the chances that you will graduate from college.
• Doing well in the core classes (English, math, social studies and science) gives you more choices for careers later on.
• Work hard and try your best. If you need help, ask for it.

College application season is in full swing. As your child applies to college and you see how much it costs, don't let your fears overshadow an otherwise exciting time in your child's life. The key is to not believe the financial myths surrounding the price of a higher education.

Myth #1: You can't afford college.

Many students add the tuition price, textbook fees and the cost of living and say there is no way they can afford college. The truth is most college students require some form of financial aid. Don't ignore college because of its "sticker price." Your child can receive a combination of grants, loans, scholarships or work-study jobs to help reduce the cost.

Myth #2: You have to be very poor, very smart or very talented to qualify for financial aid.

Financial aid comes in many forms—grants and scholarships that don't have to be repaid, and loans, which do have to be repaid. There is need-based aid for students of lower income families, and merit-based aid for students who excel in athletics, music, community service and many other areas. Financial aid sources are as varied, too—the federal government, the college or university itself, your employer, and others. Explore all the possibilities; you'll be surprised.

Myth #3: You can get more scholarships by paying someone to search for you.

Scholarship scams are everywhere. Beware of any group or individual that guarantees a scholarship if you pay a fee. There are many good and FREE scholarship sources on the Internet. Check out fastweb.com or finaid.org for more information, and check out the free scholarship search at collegenet.com.

Myth #4: If your child pays for college, your salary doesn't matter.

Most need-based financial aid is based on the student's and parents' income and assets. Most schools require students to fill out the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, in order to qualify for need-based aid. The form, available online at fafsa.ed.gov, asks for information similar to what's needed for income taxes. After submitting the FAFSA, your child receives a report that shows how much the government expects you to pay toward your child's education. If you aren't ready to file yet, visit ACT's financial aid calculator to get an estimate of your expected family contribution.

Myth #5: You can wait until you get accepted to a college before worrying about financial aid.

Most financial aid is given out on a first-come, first-served basis. Don't wait to get started. Looking for financial aid probably isn't your child's idea of a good time, but it's better than graduating from college with a huge debt.

January is fast approaching and that means it's time for seniors to apply for college financial aid for the upcoming school year.

Federal financial aid is available for students attending four-year, two-year, public or private, career or trade schools. The aid is intended to cover school expenses such as tuition, room and board, books and other supplies, and transportation. Most students receive the aid because of financial need.

Students can receive financial aid in the form of grants, loans or work-study. Grants include Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants. Loans include Federal Stafford Loans (made to students) and PLUS loans (made to parents). There are also direct loans, Perkins Loans and the Federal Family Education Loan. Work-study provides jobs, usually on campus, so students can help pay for education expenses.

To find out about federal financial aid programs and your rights and responsibilities under these programs, read "Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid" from the U.S. Department of Education. You also can request a free paper copy by contacting the U.S. Department of Education at 1-800-4-FED-AID. The guide is available in English or Spanish.

Also, be sure to check out ACT's financial aid information. You'll find a good financial aid overview in easy-to-understand language, plus a list of contacts for more information on loans, scholarships, government programs and other resources.

You can get the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA:

• online at fafsa.ed.gov
• from the school counselor
• from a college financial aid office
• from a local public library
• from the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1/800-433-3243)

If you're going to file electronically at fafsa.ed.gov, start looking at the website in December and sign-up for your PIN number. Then you'll be ready to enter the information in January.

Make sure you check financial aid deadlines! The FAFSA will list deadlines for federal and state aid. Also check the requirements at the colleges your child is interested in applying to. Some require additional financial aid forms.

The next nationwide ACT testing date is Feb. 10, 2007. The regular registration deadline is Jan. 5 and the late registration deadline is Jan. 19. (The February test won't be offered in New York due to legislation in effect there.) The next national test date after February will be April 14. Students registering online should register early to avoid heavy Web traffic and delays.

ACT offers an optional Writing Test. Find out about the Writing Test on the ACT student website, including what colleges have decided about requiring it.

The website also provides test prep aids, including free sample test questions and ACT Online Prep, an online ACT test prep program. You'll also find test day tips, a list of items to bring to the test, and details on what type of calculators are allowed on the Math Test.

For all questions about the ACT test, visit ACT's student website.