College Planning Guide for Parents
Start Planning Your Child's College Journey Here!
It’s never too early to start planning for your child’s future. Get college planning resources, tips, and test prep solutions from the makers of the ACT.
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My Journey: Connections
A free virtual event for high school students and their families!
Did you know ACT hosts live, free events for students and their families to help with college and career planning? For our first event of the new year, join us and an expert career coach as he shares top tips that will help guide your student to have a better understanding of how to pick a major, shape their career, and find personal success.
Thursday, February 16, 2023 6:00 p.m., CT

My Journey: On-Demand
Did you know that ACT hosts free events throughout the year to help students and families prepare for what happens after high school and then we make the content available afterwards for you to watch anytime even if you didn’t register?
View or share the link below to get on demand access to download sessions about college and career readiness, preparing for the ACT, and information on financial aid and paying for/affording college.
Freshman Year
- Understand the importance of taking the ACT in 8 Reasons to Take the ACT.
- Help your student setup their MyACT Profile and complete their interest inventory.
- Get a sneak peek at the Interest Inventory questions.
- Start making your plan with ACT College & Career Planning Resources.
- Set your child up for success with High School Life and Starting Your High School Journey.
Sophomore Year
- Stay on track through sophomore year with the Sophomore Year Newsletter.
- Continue exploring ACT College & Career Planning Resources.
- Take advantage of the Financial Aid Checklist as you start the scholarship search.
- Encourage your child to take a free ACT practice test.
- Help your child get a jump start on their superscore by testing early.
Junior Year
- Stay on track through junior year with the Junior Year Newsletter.
- Get informed about the college application process with Applying to College resources.
- Help your child get ready to take the ACT with Testing Advice for the ACT.
- Get help estimating the Cost of College to get a better picture of anticipated expenses.
- Download the Five Questions eBook and review it with your child.
- Purchase ACT Test Prep to prepare your child for success on the test.
- Register for the ACT!
- Get a copy of test questions and answers to understand and improve scores.
Senior Year
- Stay on track through senior year with the Senior Year Newsletter.
- Help your senior stay focused in the home stretch with How to Avoid the Senior Slide.
- Help transition your child to college with the Couch to College Ebook for Parents.
- Get help navigating College Life and how to pay for it.
- Remind your child to retest for the ACT to improve their scores and get a superscore.
- Purchase ACT Test Prep to improve scores for retesters.