Choosing a college can seem like quite a puzzle, but an upcoming workshop at Ohio University Southern is trying to help parents put the pieces together.

The one-day course, called &#8220For Parents Only,” will help parents prepare themselves - and their children - for the filing process. It is an important service in this area said Carol Allen, director of the Together We Can program, which organized the event.

&#8220There are a large number of families in Lawrence County whose parents have never attended any schooling beyond high school and there are others who have just never gone to college,” Allen said. &#8220The function is to educate all parents who don't know how to navigate this system.”

The workshop aims to help parents be more comfortable with topics like career planning, selecting a college, college visits and how to prepare for college in high school.

&#8220It's just important that these parents have the tools they need to support their child,” Allen said. &#8220If you don't know what to do, you tend not to push and support you child in getting the necessary paperwork done.”

Dr. Kim Keffer, director of enrollment services at OUS, is one of those that will help parents to become informed school shoppers.

And, she said, there is a lot to be aware of, especially for first timers.

&#8220Once you've gone thorough the process it's not as over-whelming,” Keffer said. &#8220But particularly for parents who are facing this for the first time with a child, there are so many things that can be done early to make it easier for the student when they're ready to start college.

Keffer emphasizes that the program is not designed to drive students into OUS, but rather offers a more general course of study.

&#8220It's not a program designed to give information about Ohio University,” Keffer said. &#8220It's information to help them make decisions about their child's future, in terms of what they're going to do following high school and what steps they need to be taking now to ease in that transition.”

&#8220For Parents Only” will take place in the Academic Center located at 1804 Liberty Ave., in Ironton from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday. There is no charge, but parents are asked to call (740) 533-4609 to register. Walk-ups, however, will be accepted.