A question I get all the time is “How early is too early to start the college admissions process?” While there is no “right” answer, here are some general guidelines that might help.
Let’s get this out of the way right up front: DO NOT think about college while your child is in middle school! I repeat, DO NOT think about college in middle school! Let them be kids. End of story. Nothing your child does in middle school will show up on an application. Too many well-meaning parents start obsessing over college lists way too early. Beyond the occasional campus visit accompanying an older brother or sister, I highly recommend that you leave any further discussions to the wayside. So, when should you start the conversation?
The first step in the college admissions journey should begin during the spring semester of your child’s eighth-grade year. It’s a minimal step, however. The most critical element of a student’s college application is their high school transcript. The transcript not only demonstrates the student's academic performance through grades and GPA, it also reflects the academic rigor chosen by the student. So, the first thing I like to discuss with a rising high schooler is their curriculum for ninth grade. What honors track are they on? What is their foreign language plan for high school? What is their math track? I like to map out a tentative four-year academic roadmap as early as possible. It will likely change, of course, but is an essential first step.
I also like to start the conversation about extracurriculars as the student prepares for life in high school. Ninth grade is a time of discovery, and you need to encourage them to participate in as many clubs, sports, arts, etc. as possible. These activities not only provide an excellent outlet for the pressures of high school, but they also teach your child leadership, responsibility, and time management.
With an academic and extracurricular roadmap in hand, your child should be left alone for the most part during their freshman year. The difficulties of being a maturing adolescent are plenty on their already overstuffed plates. The next step will come as they prepare their sophomore class schedules and we take stock of their extracurricular experiences. As you will soon discover, the college admissions journey will be here soon enough.
With proper planning and a good understanding of the roadmap, you and your child will be fine. Look forward to it. Ignore the anxious horror stories you are bound to hear. When done right, it will be a joint venture between you and your son or daughter that will help change their lives and bring you closer together.