In contrast, I’m sure neither of my kids had a single thought about college until probably sophomore year of high school, when I most likely said, “Hey kids, time to start thinking about college!” 
Both my kids are living their best lives. My eldest, the original “average” excellent student, ended up doing a master’s degree at a very famous university. I can vouch that 11 year old her is unrecognizable from 20+ year old her.
@Sumbuddy It’s probably fair to say that your path will be less stressful if you focus on doing things you enjoy, rather than plotting your youth away on how to get into college. The landscape is almost certainly going to change during the next six years, so best to enjoy the ride.