<p>For starters, avoid this site. Your normal kid will never measure up to the amazingly gifted people who frequent CC and this will lead you to conclude that he is unlikely to be accepted to your local, for-profit, debt-incurring, Storefront College of Higher Learning and you will go away terribly sad. ;)</p>
<p>But seriously, if he’s not motivated about college, don’t panic. Lots of juniors, especially boys, just aren’t ready at this point to talk about the college search process. </p>
<p>In the spring, have him set up a meeting with his GC (assuming yours is decent) to talk about beginning the search. </p>
<p>Get a copy of the Fiske Guide (do not get him any of the ones that rank schools, such as US News and World Report–those are worthless to a person looking for fit, and they are terrifying!) Leave the guide on his desk or wherever he does his schoolwork. Leave little sticky notes to mark pages of schools you think he’d like. (He will reflexively hate them all, but at least he will open the book and look a bit for himself.)</p>
<p>If he says anything funny or brilliant in the next month or two, say “You know, MelodyA3’s Son, that sounds like a great topic for your Common App essay…”</p>
<p>Ask him what date he’d like to take the SAT or ask him if he’d prefer the ACT. Sign him up, then buy one of those study guides. Leave it on his desk next to the Fiske Guide. Also leave out some super sharp pencils.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>