As the school year kicks off to a new start, are you the parent of a newly minted Senior who'll be heading off to college in a year? If so, you're about the be inundated with college brochures. Brochures lead to choices and choices mean trips to see the schools. This can be expensive, gas for the car, hotel rooms, maybe even airfare for the family.

So before throwing caution (and the checkbook) to the wind, first narrow the choices while at home.

Then take a virtual tour of the campuses for free by seeing many of the schools at www.ecampustours.com or by video tours conducted by the students themselves at sites like www.collegiatechoice.com or www.theU.com. Collegiate Choice costs $15 a school. The U.com charges $4 a school.

Save the trips and expenses for those schools that still remain on the list after a viewing of the facilities.

Your college expenses are just beginning.