Students making the transition into middle or high school face challenges that may derail their school careers. Schools can do a better job of preparing students for the challenges ahead. In this article, the authors review the developmental needs and challenges of young adolescents and the concerns that they and their parents have about moving into a new school. Then they consider how transition programs can address the characteristics of effective transition programs that have been identified in the literature and present activities that may help schools provide effective transition programs that meet the needs and concerns of students and their parents. (Contains 6 tables.)