One more thing on this, because I get asked about it. A number of people have asked me about this part, something along the lines of "isn't that our job as parents?" And my answer is no, it is not our job.
Getting into college and going to college isn't our job. My daughter went to LASA. The kids who were pushed to go there by their parents were the kids who flamed out. The same thing is true for highly selective colleges and universities. We can give them love, advice, support and guidance but like anything else in life, they need to work for the things they want. They managed the process themselves and I did nothing but write a check.
My message to my daughters was - I am hiring these people to help you stay on top of things. Our budget for college is $_________ per year, all in. The better you manage the next three years the more great options you will have.