Researchers say that early adolescence is actually the best time to start thinking about a child’s transition to college.

How soon is too soon to plan for college?

It’s spring break and I’m waiting in the Carolina sun for my youngest daughter, who is visiting a class at a university here. At 17, she is shopping for the perfect college fit, even though she won’t enroll for another year-and-a-half.

There are precious few perks, I hear, that come with being the baby—especially one who follows a string of high-achieving siblings. The main advantage, from my view on this bench, is that she sees attending college as a sure thing—as natural as losing her baby teeth or learning to drive.

Thanks to her siblings and their friends, Emily has spent a good share of her elementary and middle school years attending college events and graduations. For years, it seems, she’s been straining on tiptoes to see over the fence of high school graduation and into her own future.

And, boy, do I feel lucky. Researchers say that early adolescence is actually the best time to start thinking about a child’s transition to college.

This comes a little harder for families who didn’t attend college, or for kids who haven’t given much thought past tomorrow’s party or next week’s game. Still, there are things any family can do to promote a college goal.

Raise Interest
Many students assume that higher education is not for them or that the jobs they are interested in don’t require college. But according to the American Council on Education, some form of formal postsecondary education or training is required for almost every well-paying job today.

This doesn’t necessarily mean your child has to aim for four years at a liberal arts university. “College” can mean any path to higher learning: four-year, two-year, technical, business or community college. Today’s teens can even earn college credit in high school.

One way to raise kids’ interest in college is to ‘show them the money.’ The Census Bureau reported that in 2006, people with bachelor’s degrees earned an average of $54,946 while those with high school degrees earned $29,448. People with postgraduate degrees earned an average of $79,946. If that still generates a yawn, do the math to compare the differences in average lifelong earnings between high school grads and those with a bachelor’s degree. Maybe the $1 million will catch their attention.

College also expands options and opens doors. Compared with folks who don’t continue their education beyond high school, people who go to college have a wider range of job options, develop lifelong learning skills, and are in a better position to help their families and communities.

Raise Hope
Not long ago, Janice Brown, superintendent of Kalamazoo Public Schools (KPS) and a chief architect of the “Kalamazoo Promise,” reported that the “Promise” has changed conversations in Kalamazoo families. (The Kalamazoo Promise pays college tuition for every KPS graduate.) She described a recent exchange she overheard in a local checkout line: “Use your words to tell me what you want,” a young mom told her misbehaving toddler. “You’re going to college someday, so you’ve got to learn.”

“It’s not ‘if’ anymore; we’re all talking about ‘when’ you go to college,” said Brown.

Raise expectations
Just as world-class athletes continue to challenge themselves, studies show that the more students are challenged, the more they learn and the farther they go. Convincing your child to take challenging courses in middle and high school has become easier than ever. Michigan’s new high school graduation requirements are rigorous enough to open the doors to most any college or technical school.

However, high expectations without high levels of support can raise panic rather than hope. That’s why it’s important to put together a college support team that can include parents, teachers, tutors, coaches, counselors, and other students who plan to attend college.

Raise Money
I can’t help worrying a little about this part as I wait for my daughter on this sun-soaked campus. The clear winners are parents who’ve been able to start saving early. For example, if I’d put aside $50 per month starting when my daughter was born, at 5 percent interest, I’d have saved about $17,000 by now. Prepaying tuition at yesterday’s prices would have been even better.

I’ve learned from experience, though, that even families who haven’t been able to squirrel away enough funds for education still have plenty of options available. So once again, I’m doing my homework, talking to experts, and most of all, trying never to let talk of financial fears dampen my daughter’s dreams.

Before long, doors across the courtyard open and co-eds stream from the historic brick building. I spot my daughter in the crowd and for just a moment, I catch a glimpse of her future waiting just around the corner.

Oh, baby, the places you’ll go….

Resources
The College Zone

College is Possible (CIP)

Michigan Department of Education Learn about ways to earn college credit while still in high school.