Because college admission has become much more competitive, parents and students need to know that excellent grades and test scores may not be enough to gain placement, especially in highly selective schools. Keep in mind that there are more than 25,000 class valedictorians every year, most with nearly perfect standardized test scores. Also, the number of students taking AP and IB courses has increased significantly. The increased competition has lead to credential inflation which has lead to more students taking more rigorous courses. Admissions faculty must make very fine distinctions among very similar applicants, which again stiffens the competition. Students should begin planning in middle school to develop a four-year high school plan. College admissions should also be considered when planning extracurricular and summer activities. Parents must play a much stronger role in the college planning process. The mission of the parents with a child in middle school or early high school should be to support her in becoming self-confident, emphasizing her positive personality characteristics, developing her talents, and pursuing leadership and competitive roles, wherever possible. In previous years, a parent's mission was to be a guide on the side rather than a sage on the stage and to keep things in perspective in the midst of teenage angst. Those jobs have not changed. Today however, parents must be both a shepherd and a talent scout. This article presents a guide for parents on how they can identify a teen's skills and how they can gently nudge him toward excellence.