Middle school is algebra and lockers, text messaging and mood
swings. It’s also when school counselors start mentioning
college, noting that it’s not to early to start thinking about
the Big Decision even though higher education may be seven years
away. But middle school is too early to zero in on a specific
college, says Jim L. Miller, coordinator of enrollment research
at the University of Wisconsin-Superior and past president of
the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
“During the middle school years, we should be talking to
students about envisioning college as a goal,” Miller says.
“They need to know that what they’re doing now will have an
implication on their future, and college is part of that path.”
For many families, college has been on their child’s radar
screen since she was making snakes out of Play-Doh. Parents who
love their alma mater and enjoy talking about their college
experience reinforce that message early on. And parents who
didn’t get the opportunity to go to their fir