Eighth-graders and parents: If you're not already in the throes of a high school search, now is the time to kick into high gear. Every 8th-grader -- and 9th-graders who want to change schools -- must fill out a high school application,ranking up to 12 choices.

Here are some upcoming dates and events you should know about.

Citywide high school fair :The citywide high school fair is this weekend , Saturday and Sunday, Sept.  24-25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Brooklyn Tech High School. At least five floors of the mammoth building -- one for each borough -- are filled with school representatives promoting their schools and students and you'll find staff from the city's nine specialized high schools in the ground floor gymnasium. 

How can you make the most of this rather overwhelming event? Try to come up with a target list of schools and zero in on them. Rather than lug around the heavy directory, consider pulling some pages out (or making a list in a smaller notebook). You might not stick to the list--there are many new schools you may not know about -- so be open to other possibilities. Don't think you need to visit every floor. While you may be interested in crossing borough lines for high schools, be practical: If you live in the far reaches of Brooklyn, are you really going to consider a school in Riverdale?  (Take a look at our video: Close to home or far away? for some pointers.) While you're at the fair, be sure to pick up fliers about upcoming open houses or sign-in for schools you may want to apply to if you can. Many schools give preference in admissions to students who sign-in or attend a school tour or open house.

If you miss this weekend's fair, you'll have another opportunity next month at the smaller, more manageable borough high school fairs  on Oct. 22-23.

Information sessions: Block out some time during the citywide fair to attend an information session in the auditorium, especially if you were unable to go to any of the summer meetings (see the handouts here) or are new to the process. Sessions on the high school admissions process will be held at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; sessions about the Specialized High School Exam, are offered at noon and 2 p.m. The Department of Education will offer more information sessions in October - we'll post the dates when we get them.

High school tours and open hours : Break out your calendars (and consider asking your boss for time off) to schedule school tours and visits. Some schools require families to register for limited tour spots, so it's best to sign up now. Some selective schools require interviews or have their own tests. You must sign up for these too. Check the school's websites for dates and registration information. (You can find website links on our school profile pages.)

Applying to a specialized high school : If you plan to take the exam for one of the specialized exam high schools, be sure to register with your guidance counselor before Oct. 12.  According to the DOE calendar tickets for the Oct. 29-30 weekend exam will be handed out beginning Oct. 21. Students have until Oct. 28 to register for the audition to LaGuardia, the specialized arts high school; tickets will be available after Oct. 31.

Students will not be admitted to the testing center, or to auditions at LaGuardia, without a ticket.

Help from Insideschools : Looking for some independent advice? Jacquie Wayans, a longtime staffer at Insideschools, is offering a workshop at City College on Oct. 2. And we've posted several how-to videos on our high school page and YouTube channel. Our blogger, Liz Willen, a veteran of two high school searches for her son, has written about her experiences. Make sure to read her posts and thoughtful comments from parents who have been through the process.

Share information: One of the best ways to find out about high schools is to talk to other parents and share information. As you visit schools, please post comments about what you see on Insideschools school profile pages.  And please post your thoughts in comments below!