One of the best ways to learn about admission to colleges and universities is to attend a National College Fair.  National Fairs are sponsored by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and coordinated by a local organizing committee in the host city.  They are free to attend and give you access to hundreds of colleges and universities from across the country.  Check out some of the upcoming spring fairs:

Buffalo National College Fair
March 23 - 24, 2010

Hartford National College Fair
April 8-9, 2010

Houston National College Fair
April 11, 2010

READ MORE - Getting Into College Starts Here

Information Specific to Students and Parents
Know the Financial Aid Application Deadlines for Your State
It is important that you pay attention to the deadlines for submitting financial aid forms.  Missing a deadline seriously impacts your ability to obtain federal and state financial aid as well as institutional aid and scholarships.
We have compiled a list of state deadlines for February and March 2010 as well as provided some tips to help you and your family understand how financial aid deadlines work. 

Tips:  

• The FAFSA is the federal application for financial aid, but it is also used to apply for aid from other sources, such as the state or school.  
• The deadlines for the state or schools may be different from the federal deadlines and you may be required to complete additional forms.  
• Check with your high school guidance counselor or a financial aid administrator at your school about state and school sources of student aid.
• Refer to the state in which you live, not the state of the school that you may attend.
• Pay close attention to the school's definition of an application deadline - whether it is the receipt date and time or the process date and time of the application. 

State financial aid deadlines: 

• California - March 2, 2010 for initial awards.  For additional community college awards - September 2, 2010 date postmarked +*
• Connecticut - February 15, 2010 #* 
• Idaho - March 1, 2010 Opportunity Grant @#*
• Indiana - March 10, 2010 &
• Kentucky - March 15, 2010 &#
• Maryland - March 1, 2010 &
• Michigan - March 1, 2010 &
• North Dakota - March 15, 2010 &
• Oregon - March 1, 2010  OSAC Scholarship - Oregon Opportunity Grant - check with your financial aid administrator
• Rhode Island - March 1, 2010 &#
• Tennessee - February 15, 2010 - For State Grant @# .  For State Lottery - September 1, 2010 @#

Source:  fafsa.ed.gov
 (If your state is not listed it's only because it has a deadline later than March 2010.  Visit College Preparation Events again to check on the financial aid application deadline for additional states.)
Key:
* -Additional form may be required.  Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency
# - For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.
@ - Deadline by midnight, Central Daylight Time
& - Deadline by midnight, Central Standard Time.

For more information on completing the FAFSA form:  http://www.fafsa.ed.gov

READ MORE - Know Your State Student Financial Aid Deadline