The big change from high school to college.

For most students, making the transition from high school to college is a gradual process, often taking the entire freshman year -- or longer. "College is a lot more than writing papers and studying for exams," maintains academic therapist Bruce Holzband of Edu-Clinic, Houston, Tex., an educational diagnostic and treatment center. "It's also about getting used to sharing a cubicle with another person when you've always had a room of your own; dealing with a night owl when you're an early riser; sharing a bathroom with 20 other people who leave toothpaste in the sink; balancing the budget; and, more seriously, it's about managing to change the oil in your car, pick up your dry cleaning, hang out with your friends, and still get the 12-page economics paper done by Friday." Handling independence, adapting to a new set of social rules, developing friendships, and registering for classes all factor into the equation.

"Some kids simply aren't ready for college -- academically, socially, or emotionally," adds psychologist Myron Friedman. "They may need another year at home before the transition, either working or taking a few courses at a community college."

How can you tell if children are ready for college? Holzband and Friedman suggest asking yourself the following questions: * Can they cope with everyday responsibilities (food, clothing, transportation) independently? * How do they handle money? Do they know how to budget? * How do they plan for a long-term assignment in high school? * Do they know how to negotiate to resolve conflict? * How do they deal with authority? * How easily are they influenced by peers? * What is their degree of involvement in the college selection process? Are they making the choices? If not, who is making those choices? * Do they have academic goals? * How comfortable are they with decision-making? * How much tolerance for frustration do they have? How accommodating and flexible are...