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Saving for a child's college tuition can't start soon enough, but with so many financial concerns demanding immediate attention, it's all too easy to delegate your child's higher education to "somewhere down the road" status. Here are a few things to consider when saving money for your child's college education, no matter how late in the game:

Guard against "sticker shock." Although some college price tags can seem ridiculously high, most college tuitions are affordable once certain grants and loan offerings are taken into consideration. When looking at colleges, it's best to view that tuition as a sort of "suggested retail price," then see if you can't work on bringing it down.

Don't rule out private schools. With the average price of a four-year private college at more than $22,000 versus a four-year public college at around $5,000 – this according to nonprofit the College Board – it's only natural to encourage your child to apply to state schools exclusively. But just because the price is much higher doesn't necessarily mean you'll pay much more.

"When cost becomes a big issue, what happens is parents suddenly begin basing their kids' choices on cost instead of what they're academically qualified for," said Al Cali, founder and CEO of The College Market, Inc., a New York-based college planning firm. "Why not look at the private schools — the Princetons, the Harvards, the Dukes? If you apply for those schools' financial aid programs, you might be able to pick up the difference."

Applying for financial aid will not affect your child's chances of admission. In Cali's experience, many parents are under the impression that applying for an institution's financial aid program will affect their children's chances of being accepted into that institution. That's simply not true. "Schools have the money and they're willing to give it," he said.

Filling out the Federal financial aid form may result in unexpected benefits. Even if you don't plan on receiving federal financial aid, you might want to go ahead and fill out that federal financial aid form.

"I think a lot of people don't take the time to fill out the financial aid form, when in fact it would be to their advantage," said Chris Hunter, program manager at the College Savings Plan Network. "Schools that have their own pools of money for students typically base their decisions on federal financial aid applications."

Consult an expert. According to Cali, many families who earn in excess of $100,000 per year assume they don't qualify for financial aid. Wrong.

"They write the check for that first semester and before they know it, they're eating into their assets, their pensions," he said. "They don't explore all the options they have."

Just like you wouldn't buy a house without consulting an expert, don't send your child to school without having a certified college planning expert take a look at your financial situation. Chances are, you'll be glad you did.