never too early.

Sean Carter/Jay-Z didn't go to college, but if you want
that for your child, it is best to start early! [photo credit]

Whenever parents find out that I used to be a high school guidance counselor, the second question that I am asked is "When should I start planning for college?" (The first question is typically "What is the craziest thing you've heard?" To which I reply: I can't disclose that information.) The answer to the college planning question is way less cryptic: Start planning when your child is born.

My response has zero to do with competitive admissions and everything to do with indoctrinating your child with the expectation that they will go to college. This is especially important if you live in a community or your child will go to schools where college is not the dominant message... Or if you think that, for whatever reason, this message won't be directed towards your child. You need to promote this ideal early and often if you want it to actually happen. As much as we like to think that the whole point of the K-12 education system is to be a pipeline to college, it is not. It has been shown over and over that the this system does more to reproduce inequality than to break the cycle. It is no one person's fault that this happens, but it is definitely up to the parents to make sure that the system doesn't keep their child in place.

But how?

For one, talking about higher education as an inevitability is crucial in naturalizing college as the next step after high school. Thinking back, I don't remember a time when my older brother and I didn't know that we were going to go to college. I recall my brother checked one of those '100 Best Colleges' books out of the public library in elementary school and declared that he wanted to go to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas because the weather was nice and he could 'ride a moped all year long.' (Really, a moped.) Even though he went to Rutgers and never got a moped, the point is that attending college was always on the horizon. The message was never one of "if." Rather, it was always one of "when."

You can also engage your child in exploratory activities that allow them to see the connections between things that they like to do and what that hobby looks like in the world of work. You don't need to have a lot of money to do this. If your child likes art, get books from the library about different artists or find free art classes in your community. If your child likes to build things, take them by a construction site and let them watch the workers. Who knows, they could become an architect or an engineer. Whatever your child is into, be sure to be supportive and application-oriented. Understanding their natural interests and inclinations will allow you to tailor your activities to cultivating their talents.

I have talked to many parents who are concerned about the quality of the schools that their children will likely attend. To them, I say this: If the schools that your child goes to aren't up to snuff, supplement! My parents faced this situation when I changed schools in 4th grade, and they picked up the slack through library books, PBS, and National Geographic. Outside of school education is just as important than what goes on inside of the classroom. This is especially crucial in the summer, when the majority of school year learning is lost.

A final tip may seem obvious, but it is still worth noting: Make sure your child gets the best grades possible from day one. Since the vast majority of schools in the United States engage in some form of tracking, how they perform in elementary school has bearings on their schedules in middle school and high school. Good grades are a must. Also, taking the time in elementary school to instill good study and learning habits in your child will pay dividends in high school and college. I was one of those kids who never had to study in K-12, but was at a severe disadvantage when I got to college. Picking up habits on the fly is really hard. Also, good grades = scholarships, and free money is always a good look!

In the early stages of your child's life, college planning is more about setting them up to have the best possible options later on. The typical process of narrowing lists and deciding on majors is way easier if your child knows what they like to do, what they (might) want to do with it, and are in the academic position to act on these goals. Trust me, I was a high school counselor.