In 1999, the U.S. Department of Education funded 21 state and 164 college and middle school partnership grants for Project GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), which encourages disadvantaged youth to prepare for college. As part of its grant, Fairmont State College (West Virginia) surveyed parents and incoming seventh-grade students at 29 primarily rural middle schools to gather baseline information about their perceptions of and aspirations for postsecondary education. Results indicate that students had a generally positive view of their academic abilities and efforts, while parents had a slightly higher perception of their children's efforts. Parent involvement in school-based activities was limited in scope, with more mothers than fathers reporting involvement. Students felt responsible for their own learning, but they did not feel that their learning was interesting or exciting, that they were given the opportunity for exploration or investigation, or that teachers valued their thoughts or feelings. Student and parent aspirations were high with regard to postsecondary education. Students viewed parents and teachers as their best sources of information regarding academic choices, but few parents were familiar with high school graduation and college entrance requirements. Students did not have a real understanding of what was required of them now to begin preparing academically for college. Parents and students perceived financial difficulties to be the biggest deterrent to postsecondary education, and only half believed they would be able to afford college. Recommendations are offered for increasing students' and parents' awareness of and interest in postsecondary education. Appendices present student and parent survey questionnaires. (Contains 17 references, 11 figures, and 3 tables.) (TD)