I have always stated that it is important to start saving for college early – when your children are very young. More time saving means more interest accrued.  However, that’s NOT the only thing children and parents should start early. In his Washington Post article, 8 Subtle Ways to Prepare Middle Schoolers for College, Jay Matthews provides 8 good suggestions on what parents and their future college students can do to start the preparation process early.  These include:

1. Notice what they enjoy doing, and help them do more of it.
2. Make sure your child knows that B’s are fine in middle school and that fun is important.
3. Enroll them in Algebra I in the eighth grade.
4. Insist they develop some practical housework skills.
5. Flavor family trips with a bit of college atmosphere.
6. Encourage children who are curious about the world to take a foreign language.
7. Character counts. Encourage its development.
8. Do everything you can to encourage reading.

One more suggestion I would like to make is to instill financial responsibility at a young age.  This will teach them the value of saving early.