Glorious fall days -- brilliantine skies, blazing foliage, crisp breezes -- promise soccer games and bike rides, country hikes and apple-picking adventures. But families of eighth-graders should factor in an hour or two this weekend to attend a borough high school fair, especially if the pileup of weekday school tours is getting to be too much to juggle.

This Saturday and Sunday from 11am-3pm, you and your child can meet high-school leaders, teachers and students in settings far less fraught than the all-city high school fair, which drew 34,000 visits over two days at Brooklyn Tech. Yes, it means giving up some valuable weekend time; and it means hustling your kid into a school-related activity on the weekend (never an easy trick). It's also a great chance to dip a toe into the high-school waters and explore schools both prominent and promising. DOE's offering additional high-school admissions workshops through mid-November; check herefor local dates and times.

With two weeks to go until the specialized science high school test (SSHAT) and interviews, auditions, portfolio reviews, and school-based admissions tests well underway, it's high season for high school. Making the time to learn more can only help your child, and you, as you navigate the process.