A guy who has taught at Cornell for 40 years, writes about higher education for several big-name platforms, and published a book about literacy probably knows his stuff. Because of his experience and expertise, Daniel R. Schwarz was approached to write a little article for the Huffington Post about how to prepare for college. Spoiler alert: It’s good stuff.

What parents can do to help, what students need to do, how to learn to learn, and other helpful tidbits—this article is action-packed with preparation basics. It’s definitely worth the read for useful information on how to be of great support. In the meantime, here are some of our favorite nuggets:

“Before choosing a college, students need to consider why they want to go to college and what they expect to get out of it.”

“Preparation for college should begin early. Parents need to play a motivating role…”

“It is never too early to think about what kind of career you want to have and to begin learning what kind of preparation is necessary for that. Speaking to people about their careers and reading about what people do are ways to develop a sense of what is right for you.”

“Although the college application and admission procedure is stressful, it is important to remember that where you do your undergraduate work is far less important than enjoying high school and college, while discovering the joy and privilege of learning.”