Parents of growing children soon realize that it"s never too early to start planning for a child"s academic success. The middle school years are typically the time when both parents and students begin thinking about college. Even so, this book"s author advises parents not to become too college-focused too early in their child"s life. Important decisions should be made based on the child"s needs and interests, emphasizing the value of middle school years as each child"s personal experience, rather than as a stepping stone toward higher education. Following these introductory sections, the author goes on to explain the many kinds of college options available for students having different interests and aptitudes. She then discusses the search and application process in detail. Succeeding chapters focus on pre-college academic planning, developing a child"s study skills, coping with standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT, understanding the importance of nonacademic activities in a student"s life, and employing methods to compensate for a student"s learning differences. A final chapter offers advice on covering college costs. Here is a valuable guide that helps parents separate myth from reality as they prepare their son or daughter for the college experience.