12 ways to prepare for college: educators school parents on the best practices to help prepare children for higher learning

Have you already selected the right college for your little one, even though he's still in training pants?

According to education experts, it's not premature for the parents of toddlers to leaf through college brochures. In fact, helping your child to select a suitable college or university is only one of many steps that parents must take to guide their child down the right educational path.

And regardless of whether the goal is for your child to go to Howard or Harvard, there are proper steps to take. EBONY has consulted with educators from grade school to some of the top colleges to find out their suggestions for parents who want to rear college-bound children.

EARLY EDUCATION (NEWBORN TO AGE 6)

1 BEGIN A COLLEGE FUND

Begin saving for your child's college tuition immediately. Tuition coupled with room and board can set parents back as much as $30,000 a year for a private college; you could pay $12,000 a year for a public college. Investigate the different types of savings plans, such as a state 529-college plan, that allow you certain tax breaks. Some parents set up college funds for their children and request that family members and friends donate to the child's college fund for birthdays and graduations, in lieu of buying toys and other gifts.

2 VISIT COLLEGE CAMPUSES

Jarralynne Agee, Psy.D. (doctor of psychology), who works for the University of California at Berkeley at the Center for Workforce Development, is also mother of 6-year-old kindergarten student Robert Agee III. Robert attends Berkeley Maynard Academy, which emphasizes college to its young students. In addition, "We also visit college campuses," says Agee.

3 DO YOUR RESEARCH

Before you enroll your child in a school, check out the school's report card. The report shows a school's overall performance (compared to other schools), and it is available online.

GRADE AND MIDDLE SCHOOL (AGES 7 TO 13)

4 AVOID COUCH-POTATO SYNDROME

According to Joyce E. Gay, a retired Chicago-area teacher who worked in education for 50 years, parents should make sure that their children are involved in extracurricular activities, such as community service and sports. This early coaching will benefit your child later. "When they get to high school," says Gay, who has taught at gifted schools, "colleges will look at the extracurricular as well as the scholastic."

5 STAY IN THE EDUCATION LOOP

Most teachers say that it is imperative that parents remain involved in their child's education, especially in middle school, where students can develop bad habits. Educators advise that parents make their presence known by attending school functions and parent-teacher conferences. Make sure that your child has good computer skills, is able to do research in the library and can work through a school project. If your child is struggling in areas such as science, math or reading, get a tutor to assist him or her.

6 ENROLL CHILDREN IN A "MINI-COLLEGE"

Many colleges and universities operate mini-colleges during the summer. The programs are structured for grade-school students and offer a chance for the youngsters to have the college experience for about six weeks. Beth Howse is the director of Fisk University's mini-college, which emphasizes math, science, music and dance. "What I see happening," says Howse, "is that many of the children who attend mini-camp go on to college." Check your local college or university to see what is offered. You may discover a program such as the Berkeley/Oakland AileyCamp at Cal Performances, a six-week summer program held on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley. AileyCamp allows 11- to 14-year-olds with academic, social or domestic challenges to train with Alvin Alley Dance Theater instructors and learn life-coping skills.

HIGH SCHOOL

7 MONITOR YOUR CHILD'S CURRICULUM

By ninth grade, students should already be prepared to take college prep courses (usually four years of English, three years of math and/or science, two years of social sciences, two years of a foreign language and one year of a college preparatory elective). "Take the most demanding honors level and advanced placement level curriculum at your school," advises Walter Robinson, director of undergraduate admissions at University of California at Berkeley. "Students should be courageous about education."

8 ACT AND SAT PREPARATION

By the end of your child's 11th-grade summer, your child should have taken a standardized test like the ACT or SAT. "The test offers a chance to see how you've done on the test and where you need to improve," says Dean Keith Chandler, who oversees the admission office at Fisk University. "It also allows colleges to identify you and say, 'Hey, maybe this person is eligible for [one of our] scholarships.'"

9 ADHERE TO DEADLINES

Every college has application deadlines and cutoff points for scholarship consideration. Check deadlines for the schools that your child wants to attend.