The percentage of eighth graders on target to be ready for college-level work by the time they graduate from high school is so small that it raises questions not just about the prospect that these students can eventually be ready for college, but also about whether they are even ready for high school. A new longitudinal study by ACT (in press) reveals that when students' skills are improved during middle school, the results by the end of high school can be astounding. This issue brief summarizes the findings and presents recommendations for policymakers. (Contains 2 figures.)